Shimla, July 19 -- After Shimlacity slipped to 347th place nationally, out of 824 cities in the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 rankings, Shimla mayor Surinder Chauhan raised strongover the rankings and called for a transparent inquiry intothe entire evaluation system. Shimla, which was ranked as the cleanest city in Himachal Pradesh since 2015, hasnow fallen to third place in the state, along with falling to 347th rank in recent rankings from 188 in 2023. Last year, Shimla secured 188the rank nationwide, but this year, it failed to make it to the list of top 300 cleanest cities thisyear. Shimla was ranked 198th in 2019, 65th in 2020, 76th in 2021 and 56th in 2022. Speaking to media, Chauhan expressed dismay that Shimla, despite receiving a 100% cleanliness certificate from the same evaluating agency, wasranked poorly in the national Swachh Survekshan index. "We operate one of the oldest civic bodies in India. We also manage solid waste from nine urban local bodies and 17rural panchayats apart from our city. If these efforts are not reflected in national rankings, then it raises serious questions about the intent and process of the Swachh Survekshan," Shimla mayor Surinder Chauhan added. htc...