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Context

• Chandigarh has been ranked a dismal 22nd among 47 cities with a population of over 10 lakh in the Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2023.

Highlights of the Report

• According to the report, in cities with over 10 lakh population, Indore secured the first rank followed by Agra and Thane.
• Chandigarh scored 174 out of a total of 200 marks, while Indore secured 187, Agra 186 and Thane 185.5. Chandigarh failed to secure a place in the top 10, and even Delhi took the ninth spot with a score of 177.
• Under the category with a population of less than 3 lakh, Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh secured the first rank with a score of 193.6, followed by Kala Amb (193).
• Baddi in Himachal Pradesh secured the 12th rank with a score of 171.2 and Nalagarh stood at the 14th position with a score of 165. Similarly, Dera Bassi in Mohali district remained at the 37th position with a score of 93.3 among 40 cities in the category.

Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan

• ‘Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan- Ranking of Cities’ falls under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
• The programme “Swachh Vayu Survekshan” is covered under the sub-component-3 “National and State level interventions and public outreach activities” of the Component "National Mission for Clean Air" (NMCA) of central sector scheme "Control of Pollution".

Objectives

The objectives of Swachh Vayu Survekshan are:

• To create awareness among all sections of the society
• Inform citizens about the health impacts related due to exposure
• Comparing air quality conditions at different locations/cities
• To achieve the goal of NCAP “Clean air for all”.

Cities covered

• The Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan promotes ranking of 131 cities in the country for implementing City Action Plans prepared as part of National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) for reducing air pollution upto 40% by 2025-26.

Criteria of evaluation

• 131 cities are categorized into three groups based on population. 47 cities are in the first group having population more than 10 lakh. 44 cities are in the second group having population between 3 to 10 lakh. Third group consists of 40 cities having population less than 3 lakh.
• Cities are required to do the self-assessment as per the framework provided on PRANA online portal. This assessment is carried out annually. Cities have to report implementation of activities and measures taken in respect of solid waste management, road dust management, management of construction and demolition waste, control of vehicular emissions and industrial pollution.
• This promotes constructive competition in the spirit of competitive federalism to take measures to improve air quality. This Survekshan provides a tool to cities to plan their actions in order to improve air quality.
• It is not based on the measurement of the air quality parameters to rank the cities. It is based on the actions taken by the cities to improve the air quality in different domains.
• The actions taken by the cities would result in the improvement of air quality. It thus, provides a planning implementation tool to improve the air quality and the assessment of the cities regarding how better they have aligned their actions to improve the air quality.

Award

• Better performing cities i.e top 3 cities in each category, will be rewarded by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change with cash price, trophy and
• Certificate with title “National Clean Air City” under National Mission for Clean Air on 7th September every year on “International day of Clean Air for Blue skies”.

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements: 1.    ‘Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan- Ranking of Cities’ falls under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). 2.    Rankings of Cities under it are based on measurement of air quality parameters. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a)    1 only b)    2 only c)    Both 1 and 2 d)    Neither 1 nor 2 Answer: a) 1 only Explanation Rankings are not based on the measurement of air quality parameters but on actions taken by the cities to improve air quality in different domains and the improvement on account of these steps.

 

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/indore-best-in-efforts-to-make-air-swachh-too-bhopal-5th/articleshow/102999425.cms?from=mdr