Surat Mayor Savitaben Sharda, accompanied by Deputy Municipal Commissioner Ashwin Mehta, received the award from the Dubai crown prince and Defence Minister-General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid at Maktoum on Monday.

The award, instituted by the Dubai Municipality, carries a golden windtower trophy, a citation and $30,000 dollars. Surat was among the 10 projects selected from over 470 international submissions this year.

After INTACH declared Surat as the second cleanest city in the country, this city has become a model for other civic bodies. During the last two years, hundreds of civic bodies in the country have sent representatives to study the cleanliness drive instituted by former municipal commissioner S R Rao, who is credited with the metamorphosis of an extremely dirty city into one of the cleanest in the country.

PTI adds from Dubai: Ananda bose, director, Nirmithi Kendra, Thiruvananthapuram, which specialises in cheap and efficient environment-friendly housing alternatives, was a special invitee to the function.

The ceremony, held on World Habitat Day, was also attended by Klaus Topfer, acting executive director of the UN Centre for Human Settlements.