Pune Rises to 10th Place in National Air Quality Rankings
Pune has made a strong comeback in the country’s air quality rankings, jumping to the 10th position this year from 23rd last year and 29th in 2023. The city is now the third best in Maharashtra for clean air, after Navi Mumbai and Thane.
The rankings, released by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) under the ‘Swachh Vayu Survekshan’ initiative, evaluate cities with populations over 10 lakh. Indore topped the list, followed by Jabalpur and a tie between Agra and Surat for third place.
The improvement in Pune’s air quality is being attributed to several steps taken by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). These include installing pollution control systems at crematoriums, promoting electric vehicles (EVs), expanding the metro rail network, setting up EV charging stations, and using sprinklers at traffic junctions to reduce dust. The city has also encouraged the use of electric buses and official EVs for civic services.
Deputy Municipal Commissioner Santosh Warule explained, “We’ve also worked on waste management by stopping the burning of waste, improving its transport and processing, and implementing the Area Traffic Management System (ATMS) to ensure smooth traffic flow and reduce vehicular pollution.”
‘Swachh Vayu Survekshan’ ranks cities based on how effectively they implement approved actions in their city action plans and their air quality data. The goal is to create awareness about air pollution, its health impacts, and promote best practices to achieve the broader target of “Clean Air for All.”
Top-performing cities are rewarded with cash prizes: Rs 1.5 crore for first place, Rs 1 crore for second, and Rs 50 lakh for third. They also receive a trophy and the title of “National Clean Air City.”
Cities are encouraged to adopt measures like mechanical road sweeping, solid waste management, converting dumpsites into gardens, promoting clean fuels, and creating green belts. Pune’s recent progress shows that a mix of planning, citizen awareness, and technology can lead to real change.
