Lucknow has been named the "No. 1 city" in the country according to the "Clean Air Survey," and has been awarded Rs 1.50 crore in addition to a citation.
On Saturday in Bhubaneshwar, the director general of the environment, Chandra Prakash Goyal, and the minister of state for environment and forests, Ashwani Kumar Choubey, presented the award to the mayor, Sanyukta Bhatia, and the municipal commissioner, Indrajeet Singh.
Mayor Bhatia said, "Efforts were being made to improve the environment in Lucknow for the last five years. In order to improve the air quality, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) had installed artificial lungs in front of its headquarters in Lalbagh so that the air quality could be checked. LMC purchased nine road-sweeping machines, eight anti-smoke guns, and 40 water-sprinkling machines from the 15th Finance Commission for air quality improvement."
Millions of saplings were planted in the Atal Uday Van, and millions more were planted in various locations by building several gardens. In the previous five years, more than 1,500 parks received beautification and landscaping work.
The development of Air Quality Monitoring Stations at various locations across the city, which allows for continuous monitoring of the Air Quality Index (AQI) and connection to the Smart City control centre, was the LMC's most significant contribution to the improvement of air quality.
Additionally, the LMC erected air purifiers at 22 locations around the city for a total of Rs 20 crore in order to enhance the dropping AQI, which is continually enhancing the air quality.
Bhatia said, "Providing cleanliness and taking care of the health of the residents of Lucknow has been my first priority. I had promised the residents to make Lucknow the No. 1 city. Today in the Clean Air Survey 2022, Lucknow has become the No. 1 city in the country, and I have succeeded in fulfilling the promise made to the public. With this ranking, the 'Ease of Living Standard' of Lucknowites will rise and I will try to improve further."
