PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | DEHRADUN Based on the rankings released by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on Thursday, Dehradun secured 62nd position in the Swachh Survekshan 2024. Rudrapur made a big leap this year and rose to 68th position from 417th national position in last year, making it the second highest-ranking city in the State. Besides this, Lalkuan in Nainital district was acknowledged under the Promising Swachh Shehar of Uttarakhand. The results were announced at an event presided over by President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi on Thursday. The President along with Union Housing and Urban Development minister Manohar Lal Khattar presented the awards on the occasion. Dehradun ranked 62nd at the national level, showing improvement from last year’s 68th rank. The State’s provisional capital received 7,614 points this year, an increase from 6,579 points in 2023. Dehradun municipal commissioner Namami Bansal stated that the improved performance is the result of joint efforts by citizens, sanitation workers, cleanliness volunteers and the administration of the Municipal Corporation of Dehradun. The corporation achieved this by implementing door-to-door waste collection, public awareness drives, technical innovations in sanitation systems, and continuous monitoring, she said. In contrast, Haldwani dropped to the 291st rank from 237th last year, a decline of 54 positions. Haridwar secured 363rd rank, Kotdwar 232nd, Pithoragarh 177th and Almora 907th, the lowest among Uttarakhand cities.