Bhubaneswar: An organisational meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja was held Saturday in collaboration with the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) to review the implementation of various pollution control measures and schemes across the state.
The meeting also focused on strengthening inter-departmental coordination to ensure cleaner air in both urban and rural areas.
Held at Lok Seva Bhawan, the meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary Satyabrata Sahu, Principal Secretary Arabinda Kumar Padhee, and senior officials from various departments.
The committee reviewed the implementation status of resolutions passed during its previous (5th) meeting and assessed the progress under the State Clean Air Programme (SCAP) and Nataionl Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
Cities such as Rourkela, Angul, Talcher, Balasore, Rajgangpur, Cuttack, and Bhubaneswar are part of the NCAP framework, which aims to achieve a 40 per cent reduction in PM10 and PM2.5 levels in the coming years.
Officials identified vehicular emissions, industrial activities, road dust, and waste burning as the major sources of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) pollution.
The committee stressed the need for long-term strategies such as transitioning to renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower, and promoting electric mobility to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
