BHUBANESWAR: Odisha has once again emerged as the most polluted state in the country with air quality of at least three cities crossing the 300-mark, surpassing Delhi in the air quality index (AQI) on Thursday.
Balasore topped the list of most polluted areas in the country with an AQI of 338 micrograms per cubic metre (mg/m3) followed by industrial town Talcher with an AQI of 320 mg/m3 that placed both the urban centres in ‘very poor’ category. Meanwhile, Baripada town in Mayurbhanj district also recorded an AQI of over 300 mg/m3 alongside three other places in the country including Haldia, Rupnagar and Visakhapatnam.
Even Twin City Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, which recorded an AQI of 239 mg/m3 and 260 mg/m3 respectively, placing them in ‘poor category’, have stood more polluted than Delhi where the AQI level hovered around 234 mg/m3 in the evening (4 pm), stated the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) bulletin.
The pollution level in urban pockets of the state continues to remain alarming as industrial towns - Angul and Talcher - were also among India’s five most polluted places on Wednesday with AQI levels of 303 mg/m3 and 336 mg/m3, respectively.
What is even more shocking is that the air quality of coastal town Balasore breached the 300-mark for at least three days in the last one week and six days in entire December so far. The air quality of Angul has also crossed 300-mark four times in the last one week.
In November, the air quality of both Bhubaneswar and Cuttack too, had breached 300-mark on multiple occasions placing them among the worst-affected cities in terms of pollution level in the country.
While lack of wind and other meteorological conditions are being attributed as factors for increased pollution level in these urban areas during winter season, an environment scientist from the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) said vehicular emission, dust from relentless construction activities and waste burning continue to pose major challenge, especially in areas like Balasore, Baripada, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
He said the civic authorities were required to strengthen their enforcement and other preventive measures to regulate the pollution level in these places during winter.
“Local task force at ULB level should be formed to ensure adequate interventions against increased level of dust pollution from vehicular movement and construction activities, while community participation should be increased in checking random waste burning. An app facilitating registration of complaints related to pollution from people also needs to be developed at ULB level to deal with these problems effectively,” the OSPCB scientist added.