Guwahati, September 10: Cities across the Northeast have once again struggled to make a mark in the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan Awards 2025, with the region trailing behind in the Union government’s annual clean air rankings.
The awards, announced by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), assessed 130 cities nationwide on their efforts to curb air pollution across sectors such as road dust, waste management, vehicular emissions, construction debris, and industrial pollution.
While Indore, Amravati, and Dewas emerged as leaders in their respective population categories with innovative green initiatives, Northeast cities remained distant from the top positions.
In Category-2 (population between 3–10 lakh), Guwahati ranked 21st, far behind Amravati and Jhansi, reflecting challenges linked to vehicular congestion, rapid urbanisation, and poor waste management along the Brahmaputra.
In Category-3 (population under 3 lakh), smaller towns fared only slightly better. Nalbari secured the 15th position, while Silchar and Sibsagar tied at 20th. Kohima slipped to 38th, and Byrnihat on the Assam–Meghalaya border ranked 39th, pointing to persistent industrial and traffic-related pollution in the area.
