NEW DELHI: Lucknow is ranked on the high adopted by Indore and Jabalpur as second and third, respectively, within the checklist of million-plus inhabitants cities within the ‘Swachh Vayu Survekshan’ (clear air survey) 2026 for implementing air air pollution mitigation measures below the Nationwide Clear Air Programme (NCAP).The survey report, launched by the Union surroundings ministry on the Worldwide Day of Clear Air for Blue Skies on Monday, exhibits that although the degrees of the common PM10 (particulate matter 10), a key pollutant, proceed to be excessive in these cities in comparison with others in 2025-26, they nonetheless figured as the highest three cities within the checklist as a result of scoring excessive on different parameters whose weightage is greater than the discount in PM10 focus degree.The typical annual PM10 focus in Lucknow was 135 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3) throughout 2025-26, whereas it was 76 μg/m3 in Indore and 78 μg/m3 in Jabalpur. Final 12 months, Indore was on the high, adopted by Jabalpur in second place, and Agra and Surat in joint third place for his or her efficiency throughout 2024-25.Delhi with PM10 focus of 200 μg/m3 is ranked twenty first within the survey checklist, whereas Pune (97 μg/m3) is positioned at twelfth rank, Hyderabad (80 μg/m3) at nineteenth, Jaipur (143 μg/m3) at twentieth, Mumbai (81 μg/m3) at twenty eighth rank, Bangalore (76 μg/m3) at thirty second, Varanasi (75 μg/m3) at thirty fourth, Chennai (69 μg/m3) at thirty fifth and Kolkata (87 μg/m3) at thirty eighth.Besides in Delhi and Jaipur, the extent of PM10 is much less in these large cities than in Lucknow, which topped the checklist as discount in PM10 focus degree has low weightage within the total rating. None of those large metros, nonetheless, met the nationwide ambient air high quality requirements (NAAQS) by reporting annual common PM10 concentrations of lower than 60 μg/m3.“Growth and environmental conservation aren’t at cross functions however can go collectively whereas sustaining the standard of life for the residents. It’s the duty of every citizen to make sure that generations to come back are capable of reside in a clear surroundings,” mentioned chairperson, Nationwide Inexperienced Tribunal (NGT), Justice Prakash Shrivastava, who was the chief visitor on the occasion to award the cities for his or her efficiency.
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The survey has ranked 130 cities on the premise of actual motion on the bottom to take care of totally different polluting actions, contemplating eight parameters together with measures taken by cities on street mud, stable waste administration, vehicular emissions, industrial air pollution, building and demolition waste administration and different emissions (corresponding to DG units and industrial institutions).The ministry, on the event, shared that 108 out of 130 cities have proven enchancment in PM10 ranges in 2025-26 with respect to the degrees of 2017-18, whereas 26 cities recorded reductions in PM10 focus of greater than 40% throughout the interval and 14 cities met the NAAQS.