Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan and Wetland Cities
Why it Matters?
The Environment Ministry held the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan & Wetland Cities Recognition Ceremony 2025, awarding 11 best-performing NCAP cities for clean air and recognizing 2 Ramsar Wetland Cities in India, highlighting India’s progress in sustainable urban development and environmental conservation.
What You Should Know?
Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan
Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan is an annual clean air survey conducted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
It evaluates 130 Indian cities on their efforts to reduce air pollution, focusing on sectors like road dust, waste management, industrial emissions, and transport.
Indore secured the first rank among large cities.
Amravati ranked first among medium cities.
Dewas ranked first among small cities.
Wetland Cities
The Wetland City Accreditation Scheme was introduced under the Ramsar Convention (1971).
It recognizes cities that have taken exceptional steps to safeguard urban wetlands.
The scheme aims to promote awareness, encourage local action, and integrate wetlands into urban planning.
Indore and Udaipur received Ramsar Wetland City recognition.
India now has 91 Ramsar sites (1.36 million hectares), the highest in Asia and the third-highest globally.