Union Environment Ministry Confers 5th Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan Awards 2026; Lucknow Tops Million-Plus Cities
On the occasion of Swachh Vayu Diwas (International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies) on September 7, 2026, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) organized the 5th Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan Awards in New Delhi. National Green Tribunal (NGT) Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava presided over the ceremony as Chief Guest, honoring cities and municipal wards that demonstrated outstanding progress under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
The annual survey evaluates 130 non-attainment cities based on key parameters including road dust mitigation, solid waste management, electric mobility induction, construction waste control, and industrial emission reduction. In Category 1, comprising cities with a population exceeding 10 lakh, Lucknow achieved the first rank with 198 out of 200 points, followed by Indore in second place and Jabalpur in third. In Category 2 (population between 3 and 10 lakh), Rourkela in Odisha secured top honors, while Guntur in Andhra Pradesh placed second. In Category 3 (population under 3 lakh), Kalinga Nagar emerged as the best performer.
A major milestone of the 2026 edition was the introduction of ward-level Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan rankings, evaluating over 7,400 municipal wards nationwide to recognize grassroot initiatives. Ward 70 of Lucknow and Ward 60 of Bhopal won top honors in their respective population brackets. Additionally, the Ministry released a Compendium of Best Management Practices under NCAP to help municipal authorities replicate proven pollution control models across urban centers.
