Clean air: Agra retains 3rd, Kanpur 5th ranks | Lucknow News
Lucknow: Following best practices for improving air quality, Agra, Kanpur and Prayagraj grabbed the third, fifth and seventh rank respectively in cities having population over 10 lakh in the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan rankings published on Tuesday. While Agra and Kanpur retained their 2024 survey positions, Prayagraj jumped from 20th to 7th position.Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan is conducted for 130 cities under National Clean Air Campaign (NCAP) in three categories based on population annually to promote healthy competition among cities to take expeditious actions to improve air quality. Cities are awarded on the basis of significant improvement in the air pollution level. The rankings were carried out by the ministry of environment, forest and climate change. Indore secured first position among bigger cities, displacing Surat which finished third along with Agra. Jabalpur retained its second position.Among other UP cities, Ghaziabad improved from 18th to 11th, but Varanasi slipped from 9th to 12th and Lucknow from 4th to 15th. The state capital topped in the 2022 survey.In the category of 3 lakh to 10 lakh population Jhansi and Moradabad bagged second rank nationally while Gorakhpur and Firozabad stood fifth. Bareilly secured seventh position. While Jhansi improved from 3rd in 2024, Moradabad took a leap from its 11th position in 2024. While Firozabad topped the 2024 survey, Gorakhpur was 4th.A competition took place among 100 cities in the country through an integrated and modern approach. A total of 130 cities participated in the air pollution survey. Among the cities with limited population (under 3 lakh), UP’s Anpara achieved fifth rank, Rae Bareli got seventh rank, Gajraula at 23rd spot, Khurja at 26th. While Anpara improved from 13th position in 2024, Rae Bareli slipped from number one position the previous year.Agra, Jhansi and Moradabad were awarded a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh for consistent efforts at improving air quality under the survey. These achievements were made possible due to the sustained efforts of urban local bodies (ULBs) across the state.Municipal corporations and local administrations worked tirelessly to reduce emissions and improve air quality through multiple interventions, said an official.Intensive dust suppression and pollution control measures were implemented at construction sites and along major roads, while mechanical road sweeping and regular water sprinkling became routine in congested urban areas, he added.The cities also emphasised the promotion of green and eco-friendly mobility, including the expansion of e-vehicle networks and development of non-motorised transport facilities. Simultaneously, large-scale plantation drives, urban forests and green belt development contributed to increasing the green cover, while strict action was taken to curb open waste burning and ensure scientific solid waste management. Awareness campaigns played a vital role in encouraging citizen participation, making people partners in building clean and green cities.Amrit Abhijat, principal secretary, urban development, said that the recognition received by Agra, Jhansi, Moradabad and other cities is a testament to the collective determination of the state to fight air pollution.
