Varanasi, Kannauj in ‘Best Ganga Town’ category

LUCKNOW: Varanasi and Kannauj were among UP cities that got top slots in all the three population-wise categories of cities and towns with the cleanest areas around the Ganga.
The Swachh Survey 2020 had introduced the ‘Best Ganga Town’ category this year in which cities located on Ganga banks were assessed on the basis of cleanliness in the 500 radius of the river.
While Varanasi bagged top rank among cities with over one lakh population and Kannauj was ranked first among cities with population between 50,000 and one lakh, Chunar in Mirzapur occupied number one position among places with population less than 50,000.
Conducted by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs, the survey assessed 92 cities and towns located on the Ganga banks after dividing them into three population-wise categories. Of the total cities survey, 20 are from UP.
Eight UP cities have found place among 46 assessed in the category of population above one lakh. Five of them were in the top 10. If Varanasi was at number one, Kanpur came second, Prayagraj fourth, Mirzapur seventh and Garhmukhteshwar ninth. However, Ballia was at 37th place, Farukkhabad 38th and Ghazipur 46th.
Similarly, top three places were occupied by UP cities and towns among 18 assessed in the category of cities with population 50,000 and one lakh - Kannauj (1st), Bijnor(2nd) and Shuklaganj (3rd).
Of 28 towns assessed under the category of cities with populations less than 50,000, nine were from UP. Of these, Chunar and Bithoor grabbed the first and the second positions respectively.
While Babrala occupied seventh place, Saidpur was at ninth, Jhunsi 14th, Ramanagar 15th, Naraura 17th and Hastinapur 21st.