BHUBANESWAR: With the air quality deteriorating to ‘very poor’ quality in the state capital in the recent times, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started using mist cannon machine, also known as anti-smog gun, to capture and settle dust and pollutants. The civic body has also announced to impose `5,000 spot fine on those found openly burning waste.
As it is, the air quality index (AQI) of the capital city has already crossed the 300 mark. Considering the situation, BMC has started using the anti-smog gun in Lingaraj bus stand and Baramunda inter-state bus terminal for the last two days.
As per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)’s record, the AQI of the state capital was very poor on Wednesday with level of particulate matter (PM 2.5), a prominent air pollutant, remaining 304 micrograms per cubic metre (mg/m3). While the pollution level hovered around 335 mg/m3 in Lingaraj temple area, it was nearly 271 mg/m3 in Patia monitoring station of the OSPCB.
BMC officials said AQI of Lingaraj temple area has been above 300 mg/m3 i.e very poor, for the last four days. “In fact, the area has recorded pollution level above 300 mark for at least 13 days in December, primarily due to dust pollution and vehicular emission. Keeping the increasing pollution level in view, the civic body has for the first time used anti-smog gun in the Lingaraj bus stand area as well as BSABT Baramunda,” they said.
An official from BMC environment cell said the mist cannon sprays a fine mist of water to capture and settle airborne dust and pollutants like PM2.5 and PM10, improving air quality in areas with high-pollution level.
The machine uses high-pressure nozzles and fans to project water droplets over large distances, binding to dust particles and forcing them to fall, offering an effective and eco-friendly solution for dust suppression and smog control.
“BMC has three such machines which are in use at the temporary transit station (TTS) at Gadakana. However, two of these machines have now been pressed into service in public places in view of the prevailing pollution,” the official said.
This apart, the civic body held a meeting with OSPCB on Tuesday to work out an enforcement plan to address the rising pollution level in the city. The meeting, chaired by BMC commissioner Chanchal Rana has decided to impose fine of `50,000 on those burning waste in the open instead of handing it over to the garbage collection vehicles.
BMC deputy commissioner N Ganesh Babu said the civic body has also urged the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) and Idco to take dust control measures in bus depots and industrial estates such as Mancheswar, Rasulgarh and Bhagabanpur etc. “The civic body has decided to act against hotels and restaurants not adhering to BMC’s pollution control norms and impose fine on contractors and project developers not using green nets to check dust pollution at construction sites,” he said.