Swachh Vayu Survekshan-2024: Firozabad, Rae Bareli, Agra excel in rankings

The winners would be officially honoured on the Swachh Vayu Diwas on September 7 in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Three Uttar Pradesh cities were listed among the top performers in the recent Swachh Vayu Survekshan, an initiative by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, the results of which were published recently.

Agra secured third spot in Category 1 (cities with population of over 10 lakh) for its efforts in mitigating air pollution. (File)

While Firozabad and Rae Bareli were ranked first in Categories II and III (cities with population between 3 and 10 lakh, and below 10 lakh, respectively), Agra secured third spot in Category 1 (cities with population of over 10 lakh) for its efforts in mitigating air pollution.

The city’s initiatives, including advanced pollution control technologies, extensive plantation drives, and stringent vehicular emission regulations, have been key factors in achieving this rank, officials said.

Urban development principal secretary Amrit Abhijat said, “This was a significant achievement by cities of Uttar Pradesh. Conducted under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), this annual survey evaluates cities on the basis of their air quality improvement measures.”

The evaluation of 131 cities’ self-assessment reports for the fiscal year 2023-24 was carried out by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), in line with the guidelines issued on August 10, 2022. The winners would be officially honoured on the Swachh Vayu Diwas on September 7 in Jaipur, Rajasthan.