CNG Buses, Paved Roads & Awareness Help Nashik Climb To 16th Rank In National Clean Air Survey

Nashik has improved slightly in the clean air survey conducted in 130 selected cities across the country under the National Clean Air Program and has come in 16th place.

In the 2024 survey, Nashik was ranked 19th. In the survey, it got 178.40 out of 200 points in the list of cities with a population of more than one million, which is 13 per cent more than last year.

The respective cities were honoured at a ceremony organised by the Union Ministry of Forests, Environment and Climate Change. It is being concluded that the awareness raised among the people in the last few years, the inclusion of CNG buses in the transport system, and the construction of paved roads have been complementary to increasing cleanliness in Nashik.

NIRI, TERI conclude..

A survey was conducted about three years ago regarding the increasing pollution in Nashik. The survey, conducted jointly by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NERI) and the Maharashtra State Pollution Control Board, drew some conclusions. It included the important issue of air pollution due to emissions from about eleven factors. 

These factors included industries, public transport, brick kilns, construction projects, dust, crematoriums, bakeries, stone crushers, etc. It was also concluded at that time that reducing the amount of hazardous gas emissions and dust particles would reduce the pollution in Nashik and improve the air quality.

Fund of 87 crores from the Centre..

As part of the measures implemented under the central policy to curb the increasing pollution in Nashik, the Municipal Corporation has so far received a fund of 87 crores. 

The administration claims that Nashik's pollution has decreased only because many measures have been taken from the cost of this fund. CNG buses, dust cleaning systems, separate cycle lanes, and electric burners in crematoriums are part of the same measures.