The ranking of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city in the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) has improved, and it now stands 12th in the country and second in the state. The improvement in ranking is due to various projects implemented by the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) to keep the city's air clean, officials said.
CSMC Commissioner and Administrator G Srikanth, after assuming office, has implemented several projects to maintain clean air in the city and reduce air pollution. With the funds received under the NCAP, the beauty islands in the city were improved, and new water fountains and showers were installed. The defunct showers and fountains were repaired and restarted. Similarly, a vertical garden was erected, and saplings were planted between the dividers on the roads. Several vehicles were made available to dispose of construction, medical, domestic, and other types of garbage.
After implementing the measures for clean air and providing the required information on time, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar ranked 12th out of 126 cities in the country and second in the state. In the tri-monthly report published on the 'PRANA' portal of the NCAP, Thane stood first and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar second in the state, followed by Navi Mumbai and Nagpur.
Deputy Commissioner and Smart City Corporation CEO Ravindra Jogdand, Garden Superintendent Vijay Patil, advisor for the clean air programme Gitanjali Kaushik, and other officers have taken strenuous measures to maintain clean air.
Under Jogdand's guidance, garbage management is done accurately, which has helped reduce air pollution significantly in the city. Centres have been established to process garbage while safety measures have been adopted to prevent any fire incidents in the garbage depot.
Strict action is being taken against residents by imposing fines for dumping garbage in open spaces or on the roads. Builders and developers have been directed to cover construction areas completely, and fines are imposed if the construction areas are not covered, Jogdand said.
