In a decisive move to tackle dangerously high pollution levels, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced immediate action against establishments using charcoal and wood-fired chullahs. This comes as the capital city's Air Quality Index (AQI) has been intermittently breaching hazardous levels, posing severe health risks to residents.
Immediate Crackdown on Pollution Sources
The civic body has decided to seal hotels, dhabas, kalyan mandaps, and picnic spots that use charcoal or wood as fuel for their cooking stoves. The advisory, issued with immediate effect, exempts only religious institutions where such practices are part of traditional rituals. The decision was prompted by findings that these chullahs are a primary source of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), which is known to cause serious pulmonary complications.
On Monday, the city's AQI, though slightly improved, remained in the 'poor' category at 266. BMC deputy commissioner N Ganesh Babu outlined the multi-pronged strategy, stating that block education officers have been instructed to use clean fuel for preparing mid-day meals. Furthermore, picnic spots will be inspected to prevent the use of wood as fuel by visitors.
Multi-Agency Efforts to Curb Dust and Emissions
The BMC's action plan extends beyond chullahs. The corporation has issued an advisory to the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT), which operates the Ama Bus service, to use water sprinklers regularly in bus depots. Frequent bus movement in these areas kicks up dust that remains suspended in the air, causing suffocation in nearby localities.
Additionally, the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) has been asked to improve the condition of roads under its control and take steps to minimize dust generation. The BMC itself has vowed to strengthen enforcement of construction and demolition waste rules, as the transportation and stacking of such materials are significant dust contributors.
Health Risks and Pollution Hotspots
Officials from the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) have identified specific areas in Bhubaneswar where pollution is particularly severe. Locations with high vehicular movement, congestion due to markets and habitation, and ongoing construction work are found to carry higher concentrations of PM2.5 in the ambient air. This is in addition to the particles emitted from traditional chullahs.
Doctors have highlighted the grave danger posed by PM2.5 particles. Unlike larger PM10 particles, which can be filtered by natural barriers in the nasal cavity, PM2.5 is fine enough to travel deep into the lungs and become deposited there. This can lead to moderate to severe pulmonary issues over time.
Providing a sliver of hope, OSPCB senior environmental scientist Niranjan Mallick stated that while the AQI in Bhubaneswar often remains close to 300 during the peak of winter, it is expected to improve to the 'moderate' category over the coming week. However, the BMC's stringent measures indicate a clear shift towards proactive, long-term pollution control in the state capital.
