BHUBANESWAR : Even as Delhi pollution has hogged national headlines, Odisha is not far behind with rapid deterioration of air quality, and particulate matter (PM) 2.5 and other toxic pollutants surging to alarming levels.
If the air quality monitoring data of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) are any indication, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Angul and Talcher are the worst-affected areas while pollution level in Balasore, Barbil, Rourkela, Rairangpur, Keonjhar and a few other places has also spiked dangerously.
Air quality index (AQI) is divided into six sections in which a score between 0 and 50 is considered safe, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor and above 400 severe. Till October, air quality in most of the urban areas was largely in the range of good to satisfactory. However, the pollution level has started deteriorating from November.
As par the CPCB statistics, the air quality of the capital city, which was mostly ‘satisfactory’ or ‘moderate’ in October, stood in ‘poor’ category for around 17 days in November and ‘very poor’ for two days with the remaining days recording ‘moderately poor’ air quality. On November 25, the level of PM 2.5 touched 321 micrograms per cubic metre (mg/m3).
Similarly, Cuttack experienced at least 14 days of ‘poor’ and two days of ‘very poor’ air quality, apart from 11 days of ‘moderately poor air’ in November, with higher level of PM 2.5 being recorded at 332 mg/m3 and 306 mg/m3 on November 25 and 26. In industrial town Talcher, air quality was ‘poor’ for 20 days and ‘moderately poor’ for 10 days, while in Angul it remained ‘poor’ for 14 days and ‘very poor’ for at least three days.
In Balasore, there was an increase in the pollution level with the air quality being in ‘poor’ category for around eight days and ‘moderately poor’ for around 17 days in November. The mining zone Keonjhar was ‘moderately poor’ for around 25 days in November compared to 15 days in October.
As for December, the pollution level of the affected cities and towns continued to remain poor in the first three days. As per CPCB’s AQI bulletin, the level of PM 2.5 stood at around 286 mg/m3 in Bhubaneswar, 300 mg/m3 in Cuttack, 275 mg/m3 in Angul, 269 mg/m3 in Balasore and 257 mg/m3 in Talcher on Wednesday.
An environment scientist from the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) attributed the deteriorating air quality in the city to industrial pollution, vehicular emission, dust from relentless construction work and transport, and other unchecked urban activities, especially use of fossil fuel and burning of waste and plastic etc.
Another official from the Board said the large-scale transport of fly ash and ore in industrial and mining belts were also contributing to the rise in pollution level in Angul, Talcher, Barbil and Rairangpur areas. He, however, underlined that this situation aggravates during winter due to change in atmospheric temperature which affects the vertical dispersion of pollutants.
Associate professor in the School of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences at IIT Bhubaneswar, Sandeep Pattnaik said beyond usual emission and other contributing factors, prevailing regional meteorological conditions also played a major role in determining air quality. “During winter, the prevailing meteorological conditions prevent mixing of the boundary layer with the upper free atmosphere, trapping the pollutants in the surface air,” he explained.
OSPCB authorities told TNIE that the collectors of Khurda, Cuttack, Angul, Keonjhar, Balasore and other districts have been directed to identify local factors contributing to the rising pollution and take necessary preventive measures. “We have also started trial run of the fly ash management application this month to monitor vehicles engaged for their transport and disposal,” a senior official said.
Bhubaneswar recorded PM 2.5 level at 321 mg/m3 (very poor) on Nov 25
Cuttack witnessed 332 mg/m3 and 306 mg/m3 on Nov 25 and 26 respectively
Talcher recorded poor air quality for 20 days
Angul air quality remained very poor for 3 days
In Dec, pollution level of the affected cities and towns remained poor in the first 3 days