Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has sought urgent intervention for a permanent solution to alarming level of air pollution being witnessed the Angul–Talcher industrial belt on account of transportation ores and fly-ash.
In separate letters addressed to Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, Union Environment and Forest Minister Bhupender Yadav and Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy, Mr. Pradhan said the high pollution level has posed serious public health concerns.
Expressing deep concern over the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Angul remaining in the ‘severe’ category, Mr. Pradhan noted in his letters that Talcher being listed among the most polluted cities in the country was particularly alarming.
“The deteriorating air quality poses grave risks to public health, especially affecting children, the elderly, and people suffering from respiratory ailments,” Mr. Pradhan said.
“There should be strict enforcement of pollution control norms in industrial areas and real-time monitoring mechanisms. The Coal Ministry should adopt a mechanised coal transportation system along with advanced dust suppression measures, and creating ‘green buffers’ through extensive plantation around industrial zones and mining corridors,” Mr. Pradhan suggested in his letter.
He proposed to expand target-based interventions under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), in order to address the crisis.
“The measures being taken under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) are largely temporary in nature. There is need for coordinated efforts among the State Pollution Control Board, district administration, and various industrial establishments to arrive at a long-term and sustainable solution,” the minister asserted.
He has stressed that close cooperation between the Centre and the State governments is essential to improve the quality of life of residents of the Angul and Talcher regions.
Angul’s AQI remained largely in the poor to very poor range over the past week, peaking at alarming levels on January 2 (346) and January 3 (326). Although a marginal improvement was recorded on January 6 (203), the overall trend indicates the pollution to be very poor.
It forced Angul district administration to issue Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage II notification under Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (NGSS)- first district administration in Odisha to respond to pollution in the region. Talcher coalfield possesses one of largest coal deposits in India.