The Jabalpur Municipal Corporation’s (JMC) much publicised campaign for scientific disposal of dry leaves appears to have failed on the ground. Barely a month after its launch, the initiative is already exposing gaps in planning and execution. Introduced under the Swachh Survekshan 2025-26 with the slogan ‘Fallen leaves are not waste’, the initiative aimed to convert dry leaves into compost instead of allowing them to be burnt or dumped. Citizens were urged to collect leaves and hand them over to civic body’s teams or deposit them at designated compost plants across the city. However, the campaign has largely remained limited to appeals, with no visible action by the Municipal Corporation. Lack of proper mechanism, monitoring and accountability has led to widespread non compliance. Across the city, heaps of dry leaves can be seen piled up at several locations, while incidents of open burning continue unchecked.

 

Ironically, in several areas, civic body workers themselves have been seen collecting leaves into large piles but failing to ensure their timely disposal. These unattended heaps are now turning into eyesores and posing environmental risks, undermining the very objective of the campaign. A striking example is the area around the Rani Durgavati Museum, located near Bhanwartal Garden. Here, accumulated dry leaves have taken the form of large mounds, giving the surroundings an appearance akin to a dumping yard. The site, which attracts visitors from across the country, is now facing criticism due to poor maintenance. Residents say the civic body has shifted the responsibility largely onto citizens without strengthening its own collection and processing system. While toll free numbers and compost centres were announced, their effectiveness on the ground remains questionable. With the Swachh Survekshan 2025-26 evaluation approaching, this clear administrative lethargy could prove costly for Sanskardhani. Unless urgent and visible corrective measures are enforced the campaign risks collapsing into a glaring example of civic failure. It potentially dents Jabalpur’s credibility in the Swachh Survekshan rankings.