Bhubaneswar Wards 36 and 30 Rank Among National Leaders in Clean-Air Assessment

Bhubaneswar: Two wards of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) have secured top positions in a national ward-level clean-air assessment, highlighting the city’s efforts to improve air quality through localised planning and community participation.

Ward No. 36 and Ward No. 30 of BMC emerged among the top-performing wards in the assessment, while Ward No. 13 of the Rourkela Municipal Corporation also secured a top position, giving Odisha further recognition for its urban clean-air initiatives.

A BMC delegation led by Mayor Sulochana Das met Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra at his official residence and presented the trophies and certificates received for the wards’ performance.

The delegation included Deputy Mayor Manjulata Kanhar, BMC Commissioner Chanchal Rana, Deputy Commissioner (Sanitation) N. Ganesh Babu, Chairperson of the Sanitation Standing Committee and corporators representing Wards 30, 36 and 22.

The performance of the wards reflects a decentralised approach to clean-air management, with interventions planned and implemented at the neighbourhood level. Citizen participation, involvement of elected representatives and sustained action by urban local bodies have been key elements of the approach.

Congratulating the BMC team, Mahapatra said the recognition was a matter of pride for both Bhubaneswar and Odisha. He appreciated the efforts of elected representatives, municipal officials and citizens and urged the Corporation to build on the achievement and aim for stronger results in the coming years.

The minister stressed that maintaining clean air requires continuous action rather than one-time interventions. He called for greater community participation and stronger ward-level initiatives to make Bhubaneswar cleaner, greener and more liveable.

The BMC delegation thanked the minister for his encouragement and assured that the Corporation would continue strengthening clean-air measures and expanding citizen participation across the city.