GREATER NOIDA, Jan. 25 -- To encourage participation, the Greater Noida authority has extended the deadline for the sanitation ranking competition for bulk waste generators, including residential housing societies and non-residential institutions, till January 31, officials said on Saturday. According to officials, the competition is being organised by the authority's health department under the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, which mandate bulk waste generators to process their waste at source. The ranking system aims to incentivise compliance and spread awareness about sustainable waste practices, they said. "Both residential and non-residential establishments can participate, with separate rankings and prize money allocated for each category. Applications have been open online since December 26, 2025, and can be submitted through the authority's official website", said additional CEO of Greater Noida authority, Shrilakshmi VS, adding that the detailed eligibility criteria and evaluation parameters are available on the authority's website. The participants will be required to demonstrate compliance with waste management rules by ensuring segregation of waste at source, on-site processing of biodegradable waste, and proper handling of recyclable material within their premises. According to the solid waste management rules, the authority collects only non-recyclable inert waste, while biodegradable and recyclable waste must be handled by the bulk generators themselves - a provision that many housing societies continue to struggle with. Under the competition, a team of experts appointed by the authority will assess participating establishments on multiple sanitation parameters, including waste segregation, on-site processing, cleanliness standards and overall compliance with waste management norms. Winners, officials said, will be felicitated during the proposed flower exhibition scheduled between February 26 and March 1. In both residential and non-residential categories, the first prize carries Rs.1 lakh, followed by Rs.75,000 for second place, and Rs.50,000 for third. Additionally, two consolation prizes of Rs.25,000 each will be awarded in both the categories. Greater Noida authority's CEO, NG Ravi Kumar, said in a statement on Saturday that the objective is not just competition, but behavioural change."...