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Andhra Pradesh Cities Improve Air Rankings, Naidu Demands Further Action

Andhra Pradesh checked how well its cities were improving their air.

Eight of the state’s 13 cities listed as having serious pollution problems moved up in the national rankings.

Eluru improved the most, rising from 31st place to fourth.

Guntur became the second-best city in its category.

Vijayawada and Nellore also moved higher.

The state won five awards worth ₹1.05 crore in total.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said clean air is important for people’s health and daily lives, not just for winning rankings.

He asked officials to find pollution sources and take stronger action in cities that did not improve.

Key facts

Cities assessed: All 13 of Andhra Pradesh’s non-attainment cities participated in city- and ward-level assessments.
Cities improving: Eight of the 13 non-attainment cities improved their national rankings.
Biggest improvement: Eluru rose from 31st in 2025 to fourth in 2026.
Guntur result: Guntur moved from sixth to second nationally in the 3–10 lakh city category and won ₹25 lakh.
Vijayawada result: Vijayawada’s Ward-60 ranked second nationally in the 10,000–30,000 category and won ₹30 lakh.
Total awards: Andhra Pradesh won five awards carrying a combined ₹1.05 crore.
Required action: Collectors were told to identify pollution sources, assess implementation gaps and take corrective measures.

deccanchronicle.com · 1 hr ago