Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s clean-air journey received major national recognition Monday, with several cities and municipal wards securing top positions in the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2026, highlighting the state’s growing commitment to cleaner air, healthier communities and sustainable urban development. While Raurkela and Kalin ga Nagar emerged as the top-ranked cities in their respective categories, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) also earned prestigious national recognition for its sustained clean air initiatives and remarkable performance at the ward level.
Rourkela secured the first position nationally in Category II (between 3 to 10 lakh population), while Kalinga Nagar emerged as the No. 1 city in Category III (Less than 3 lakh population). Angul and Talcher further strengthened Odisha’s performance by securing the second and third positions, respectively, in Category III. Bhubaneswar, meanwhile, recorded an impressive performance in the national clean-air survey and achieved a major milestone in the ward-level Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan. BMC Wards 30 and 36 secured the first position nationally among Category-II cities, while Ward No. 22 secured the first position at the state level. The Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan Award 2026 was received by BMC representatives at the Clean Air Day 2026 programme organised by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in New Delhi. The award was presented by National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava. Mayor Sulochana Das, Deputy Mayor Manjulata Kanhar, BMC Commissioner Chanchal Rana, Standing Committee Chairperson Biranchi Narayan Mahasupakar and senior BMC officials were present to receive the prestigious recognition. “Our continuous efforts towards clean air have received special recognition at the national level. The real credit for this achievement goes to the citizens of Bhubaneswar,” the mayor said.
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