Lucknow tops Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026 among million-plus cities
2 entries, oldest to newest.
- 2026-09-08
5th Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan awards conferred on Swachh Vayu Diwas 2026
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change observed Swachh Vayu Diwas on 7 September 2026, the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, and conferred the 5th Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan awards on the best performing cities and wards under the National Clean Air Programme. All 130 NCAP cities were ranked in three population groups, below 3 lakh, 3 to 10 lakh, and above 10 lakh, through self assessment, approval by a State level monitoring committee, evaluation by the Central Pollution Control Board and field verification by independent committees. NCAP covers 130 cities across 24 States and Union Territories and has provided a performance linked grant of Rs 16,425 crore as critical gap funding, and measured against 2017-18 levels, 108 of the 130 cities improved on PM10 in 2025-26, 72 cut concentrations by more than 20 percent, 26 by more than 40 percent and 14 met the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. The event was presided over by National Green Tribunal chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, and a Compendium of Best Management Practices under NCAP was released.
- 2026-09-09
Lucknow tops Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026 among million-plus cities
Lucknow topped the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026 among cities with a population of more than 10 lakh, scoring 198 points to finish narrowly ahead of Indore, which scored 197, and Jabalpur, which scored 195. The Sarvekshan, conducted under the National Clean Air Programme, evaluates cities on measures such as public transport quality, dust control at construction sites and roads, solid waste management and the expansion of green cover, measured against their own past performance. Officials credited Lucknow's improved public bus fleet, stricter dust mitigation rules and continued tree plantation drives for its position at the top of the rankings.