Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has brought laurels to the city by securing the 4th position in the National Clean Air City rankings under the Swachh Vayu Survekshan-2024. The recognition places Bhubaneswar among the best-performing cities in the 3 to 10 lakh population category, out of 130 cities that participated nationwide.
The Swachh Vayu Survekshan, an initiative of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) under the National Clean Air Mission, evaluates cities annually based on their efforts to improve air quality. The award is conferred on September 7, observed globally as the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies.
The evaluation process took into account a wide range of measures undertaken by cities, including road paving and mechanical cleaning, bioremediation of legacy waste, effective construction and demolition (C&D) waste management, reclamation of dump sites into green belts, intelligent traffic management systems, Miyawaki forests, and the adoption of cleaner fuels in industries.
Assessments were based on reports and supporting documents submitted by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), scrutinized by the Air Quality Monitoring Committee (AQMC) at the state level and later reviewed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) as per MoEFCC guidelines.
In this year’s rankings, Amravati secured the top spot, followed by Moradabad and Jhansi (joint 2nd), Alwar (3rd), and Bhubaneswar (4th).
The recognition has sparked pride and enthusiasm among BMC leadership and staff, including the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Commissioner, standing committee chairpersons, corporators, and employees, who hailed the achievement as a milestone in the city’s commitment to a cleaner, greener, and healthier environment.
