There is no surprise, let alone shock, among residents of Rampurwhich ended at the bottom of the Ease of Living Index 2018 released by the ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) on Monday. "In fact, it comes as relief to many of us here as we stand vindicated. We always said that it cannot get worse anywhere in India than here," said 25-year-old Lakshya Saxena, a sales executive. 

The city with a population of 3.25 lakh has no facility of solid waste management and 165 metric tonnes of garbage collected here every day is dumped at a ground in Ghatampur village. Heaps of garbage and overflowing sewer lines are everywhere, including the bus stand and railway station, and even outside the district hospital. 

Syed Amir Mian, an advocate, said, "The residents were promised that Rampur municipality will generate electricity from waste. And all we have is waste everywhere and no electricity." 

Chief sanitation and food inspector TPS Verma blames it on the shortage of staff. 

“According to a government order of 1991, there should be 28 sweepers for a population of 10,000. However, of the total 355 sanctioned posts of permanent sweepers, we have only 199, besides 170 contractual sweepers against 534 needed. As we lack proper sanitation staff, we have outsourced cleaning of 21 of total 43 wards,” he said..

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