Karnal, July 18 -- Karnal has emerged as one of the top-three cleanest cities in the country in the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 results announced on Thursday. The city was awarded by President Droupadi Murmu for being adjudged third in the 'Swachh Shehar' category for cities with a population between 50,000 and 3 lakh at an event organised by Union ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. Dewas in Madhya Pradesh topped in the category, followed by Maharashtra's Karad at the second position. Haryana urban local bodies minister Vipul Goel, Karnal mayor Renu Bala Gupta and municipal commissioner Vaishali Sharma received this award on the behalf of the city from Murmu. Karnal is now the first city in Haryana to be honoured by the President in the awards. Union housing and urban affairs minister Manohar Lal Khattar, also Karnal MP, was present as well. Officials said that the city made an impressive progress in the cleanliness rankings from 115th position in 2023 in the category of cities with population above 1 lakh to third this time, but in a new and different category of population between 50,000 and 3 lakh. The town ranked 85th in 2022, 86th in 2021 and 17th in 2020 in the one lakh population category. Mayor Gupta thanked Khattar and Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini for their leadership and credited every citizen for the endeavour, while also highlighting various initiatives undertaken by the MC that made sure that the results are in their favour. Commissioner Sharma said that the city achieved an impressive 11,067 points out of a total 12,500, earned a 3-star rating in the garbage-free city category and was also awarded water plus status. "Swachh Survekshan 2024 was divided into three different parts, Swachh Survey, garbage free city and open defecation free. Karnal city got 9,057 marks out of 10,000 points in the Swachh Survey, 800 marks out of 1,300 for garbage free city and a full 1,200 out of 1,200 in open defecation free. Apart from this, Karnal has got a 3 star rating of garbage free city and water plus status under ODF," she added....