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The International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies called Swachh Vayu Diwas was observed on Saturday in Jaipur in presence of Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma. T
he event was also graced by Minister of State for Forest, Environment and Climate Change of the Government of Rajasthan, Sanjay Sharma and Union Minister of State Urban Development and Local Self Government of the Government of Rajasthan, Jhabar Singh Kharra. Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board was the host for this year's observance. On this occasion, an engaging video capturing the essence of the NCAP programme, contributions of the agencies involved and resulting improvements in air quality in 131 NCAP cities was displayed. It was informed that focused actions, convergence of resources and effective monitoring have shown positive results with declining trends of air pollution in 95 cities. 51 cities have shown a reduction in PM10 levels by more than 20 per cent concerning the base year 2017-18 and 21 of these cities have achieved a reduction of more than 40 per cent. A document titled 'Compendium on Viable Technologies and Practices: Lessons from NCAP cities', showcasing examples of initiatives undertaken by cities to improve air quality in line with local contexts and requirements was released. Besides, 100 sapling under "Ek Ped Maa ke Naam", campaign were also planted at the 'Matri Van', Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre. Swachh Vayu Survekshan Awards were presented to the best performing NCAP cities under Category-1 (population over 10 Lakhs) to Surat, Jabalpur, and Agra; Category-2 (population between 3 and 10 Lakhs) to Firozabad, Amravati, and Jhansi; and Category-3 (population under 3 Lakhs) to Raebareli, Nalgonda, and Nalagarh. The Municipal Commissioners of the winning cities were awarded with cash prizes, trophies, and certificates. Congratulating the winning cities and encouraging the other NCAP cities, Bhupender Yadav emphasized on the need for multi-stakeholder partnerships, bolstering investment in Clean Air Now and embracing our shared responsibility to address air pollution. He reminded the gathering that 'Nature gives us its best; in return, we should give nature our best'. (ANI)
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