Indore again on top in Clean Air Survey 2023

In September 2023, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav announced the results of the Clean Air Survey 2023 in Bhopal, in which Indore took the top position among cities with a population of more than one million.

The Clean Air Survey was conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). It is an initiative to assess air quality in Indian cities.

• In this survey, Agra in Uttar Pradesh got the second position, while Thane in Maharashtra got the third position.
• Along with this, Srinagar (fourth), Bhopal (fifth), Delhi got ninth and Mumbai got tenth place.

Key points of Clean Air Survey 2023:

• Swachh Air Survekshan is a new initiative by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to rank cities based on air quality and implementation of approved activities under the City Action Plan in 131 non-attainment cities.
• The classification of cities has been done on the basis of the 2011 population census.
• Cities were evaluated on eight key points on various factors related to air quality, with changes in the rankings from last year:
  • Control of Biomass
  • Municipal Solid Waste Combustion
  • Road Dust
  • Dust emitted from construction and demolition waste
  • Improvement in PM10 concentrations
  • Vehicle Emissions
  • Industrial Emissions
  • Public Awareness

Performance of different cities in Clean Air Survey:

• Top three states under first category (more than one million population): Indore, Agra and Thane. Bhopal got 5th position, Delhi 9th and Mumbai 10th.
  • Worst performers: Madurai (46), Howrah (45) and Jamshedpur (44).
• Under category II (3-10 lakh population) the top three cities are: Amravati, Moradabad and Guntur.
  • Worst performers: Jammu (38), Guwahati (37) and Jalandhar (36).
• Under the third category (3 lakh population), the top three cities are: Parwanoo, Kala Amb (Himachal Pradesh) and Angul (Odisha).
  • Worst performer: Kohima (39).

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB):

• Formation: September 1974
• CPCB was constituted as a statutory organization under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
• CPCB was entrusted with powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
• The Board also provides technical services to the Ministry of Environment and Forests under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• The main functions of the Central Pollution Control Board are described under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
• CPCB aims to systematically address air pollution by ensuring necessary action by involving all stakeholders.