BHUBANESWAR: As an unprecedented deterioration in air quality prompted several districts to announce a series of restrictions in urban areas, the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) has asked collectors of 12 districts to constitute city and district-level task forces and initiate immediate action to combat the crisis.
On Tuesday, the Cuttack district administration prohibited construction activities from 6 pm to 10 am across the city and other urban local bodies (ULBs). The restriction on construction activities, however, will not be binding on major projects, an order by collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde said.
Cuttack also banned all demolition and earthwork activities in the city limits.
The administration asked Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) as well as NHAI and other agencies concerned to sprinkle water thrice a day on affected stretches witnessing heavy dust pollution.
Movement of trucks carrying coal, minerals, fly-ash and similar materials will be restricted during the daytime, while no such vehicles will be permitted to ply on NH and other important roads within the restricted zone without being covered with tarpaulin.
While Cuttack administration promulgated the restrictions through a notification, no such official order was issued or available from Khurda district. Khurda collector Amrit Rituraj said the administration is looking for more clarity on the matter.
Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), however, issued advisories on pollution control measures for Capital Regional Urban Transport, Idco, schools and all categories of buildings. But, no clear notification on restriction on construction activities within the city limits has, so far, been issued by the municipal corporation.
Air quality in both Bhubaneswar and Cuttack has continued to remain poor for over a month. In the last five days of December, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of both cities deteriorated to the ‘very poor’ category twice. While the state capital logged an AQI of 305 and 317 mg/m3 on January 1 and 2, respectively, the air quality of Cuttack stood at 304 and 324 mg/m3 on these two days.
On Tuesday, Bhubaneswar had an AQI of 238 mg/m3, while in Cuttack it was slightly better at 200 mg/m3, as of 3 pm.
Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia said there will be restriction on construction activities and BMC will shortly come up with the notification.
Meanwhile, OSPCB member secretary Uma Nanduri asked collectors of Angul, Balasore, Cuttack, Ganjam, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Khurda, Puri, Sambalpur and Sundargarh to constitute city and district-level task force to monitor sources of pollution and take appropriate preventive measures.