BHUBANESWAR: Speaker of Odisha Assembly Surya Narayan Patro has asked the State Government to launch an awareness campaign in all urban local bodies on the rising pollution level.
The issue was discussed at a meeting of the Assembly Committee on Environment presided over by the Speaker on Tuesday. Talking to media persons after the meeting, Member Secretary of Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) Debidutta Biswal said pollution level in seven cities, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Talcher, Balasore, Angul, Rourkela and Kalinga Nagar has reached an alarming level. Nine river beds are also polluted with Gangua nullah in Bhubaneswar being the worst affected.
Biswal said the Speaker directed the OSPCB and departments concerned to launch a massive campaign in all the civic bodies to make people aware of the bad effects of pollution. He said the Speaker has asked OSPCB to take out awareness chariots (raths) in all municipalities of the State.
Stating that climate change, global warming, emission of carbon dioxide and release of toxic chemicals from factories and rampant use of single-use plastics are the major factors of pollution, Patro said if emission of carbon dioxide is not brought to a minimum level, it will lead to global warming. “Under such circumstances, our generation will manage to survive, but the next generation will be wiped out,” he said.
The Speaker said OSPCB has been asked to present all the papers on steps taken by it to control pollution in urban areas. Besides, the Board has also been asked to print the do’s and don’ts on pollution to contain carbon emission and distribute it among the people as a part of the awareness campaign. All these issues will be discussed at the meeting of the Assembly Committee, he said.
Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha, Finance and Excise Minister Niranjan Pujari and other members of the committee attended the meeting. The Assembly Standing Committee on Forest and Environment also met to discuss the activities of the department. The meeting was presided over by former Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat.