Lucknow, September 7: Continuous efforts towards clean air in Uttar Pradesh have achieved a major milestone at the national level. Under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state has registered a strong presence across the country with an impressive performance in Swachh Vayu Survey-2026. In the survey conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Lucknow secured the first position in the country for the first time in the category of cities with a population of more than 10 lakh, surpassing Indore.Lucknow secured the first position with 198 points, while Indore and Jabalpur ranked second and third with 197 and 195 points, respectively. This achievement is not limited to the state capital alone. A total of 16 cities from Uttar Pradesh have performed well at the national level across different population categories. This reflects that planned efforts are being undertaken for clean air across the state, from city level to ward level.In the category of cities with a population of more than 10 lakh, several cities from Uttar Pradesh also registered a strong presence at the national level. Agra ranked fourth with 192 points, Ghaziabad ninth with 184 points, Kanpur eleventh with 183.2 points, and Prayagraj thirteenth with 180 points. Meerut secured the 22nd position, while Varanasi ranked 34th. The rankings indicate that efforts being made towards clean air in the state’s major cities are producing visible results on a large scale.Uttar Pradesh also delivered a notable performance in the medium-population category. Firozabad secured the second position in the country with 195 points. The rapid transition of glass industries to clean natural gas fuel in the city was considered a key achievement. Jhansi ranked fifth with 192.5 points, while Moradabad and Noida jointly secured the eighth position with 187.5 points each. Gorakhpur ranked 22nd and Bareilly 26th.Cities from Uttar Pradesh also performed effectively in the category of cities with a population below three lakh. Raebareli ranked 17th with 180.5 points. Anpara, Khurja and Gajraula secured the 29th, 30th and 31st positions respectively. Efforts made in these cities to control dust and vehicle-related pollution received special recognition.CM Yogi Adityanath Highlights Rural Empowerment, Education & Technology At Swarna Bharat Trust EventEffective measures were implemented not only at the city level but also at the local level for clean air management. In the national category of urban wards with a population of more than 30,000, Ward-70 in Zone-4 of Lucknow secured the first position. In the category of wards with a population between 10,000 and 30,000, Ward-31 of Prayagraj secured the third position. In the state-level ward awards, Kanpur’s Ward KNP078, Prayagraj’s Ward-33 and Bareilly’s Gandhi Udyan Ward-32 were honoured for outstanding work. Measures such as effective prevention of open waste burning and local-level dust control were considered important factors behind these achievements.Various actions were undertaken across different levels through coordination among the Urban Development Department, Urban Local Bodies and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Co
ntrol Board. The impact of the coordinated strategy prepared and implemented under the National Clean Air Programme is visible in Lucknow securing the first position in the country as well as in the national rankings achieved by several cities and wards across Uttar Pradesh.Uttar Pradesh delivered an impressive performance in Swachh Vayu Survey-2026. In Category-1, Lucknow Municipal Corporation received the first prize along with a cash award of Rs 1.5 crore. In Category-2, Firozabad Municipal Corporation received the first prize along with a cash award of Rs 25 lakh. The state also achieved significant success at the ward level. Ward-70 of Lucknow Municipal Corporation received the first prize along with Rs 50 lakh, while Ward-31 of Prayagraj Municipal Corporation secured the third prize along with a cash award of Rs 20 lakh.Urban Development and Energy Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma said, “Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the capable leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the cities of Uttar Pradesh are transforming rapidly. Lucknow has secured the first position in the country in the field of clean air conservation for the first time by surpassing Indore. This achievement is a new inspiration for the state.” He expressed confidence that just as Lucknow has secured the top position in the field of clean air, the government, municipal corporation and citizens will work with full commitment to make Lucknow the number-one city in the country in the Swachhata Survey as well.Lucknow securing the first position in the country with 198 points is a significant achievement for the state. Continuous efforts have been made in the capital to control air pollution through electric transport, road dust control, scientific waste management, increasing green cover and improving traffic management. The Municipal Corporation is using around 1,100 electric vehicles for door-to-door waste collection. To promote electric vehicles, 12 charging stations and 916 charging points have been established across the city. As part of clean transport initiatives, 140 electric buses are also being operated. To control road dust, 97 electric mechanised sweeping machines are in operation. In addition, 559.85 kilometres of roads have been paved end-to-end, helping reduce dust-related pollution.Scientific waste management has also been given an important place in the clean air strategy. In Lucknow, arrangements have been made for 100 percent scientific processing of waste with a capacity of 2,550 TPD. Along with controlling the problem of open waste burning, emphasis has been placed on scientific disposal of waste. Efforts such as vertical gardens and Miyawaki plantations have also been undertaken to increase green cover in the city.In this way, all major sectors including transport, roads, waste management and green areas have been integrated into the clean air strategy. Lucknow Mayor Sushma Kharkwal attributed this achievement to the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the collective efforts of citizens, councillors and municipal corporation employees. The capital’s success has now emerged as an effective model for other cities in the state in the field of clean air management.