Smog engulfs Rourkela; schools, colleges, polluting industries’ closure sought

The pollution control board has advised certain emergency measures including closure of schools and colleges.

Published on: Mar 11, 2021, 07:34:29 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty, Bhubaneswar

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Odisha pollution control board on Wednesday suggested closing down industries causing air pollution in the steel city of Rourkela apart from suspending operation of heavy diesel vehicles, construction works & burning of wastes as a cloud of smog enveloped the city.

The level of PM 10 and PM 2.5 in the Rourkela atmosphere on March 8 was 5 times more than the desired levels. Representative Photo (Amal KS/HT photo)

Since Sunday, Rourkela has been witnessing a layer of smog floating over the city, reducing visibility. People experienced a burning sensation while breathing, when outside their homes. The situation is so severe that the Sundargarh district administration asked people to keep using anti-pollution masks and avoid unnecessary outings till the situation improved.

OSPCB regional officer in Rourkela, PK Mohapatra said based on the reading of PM 2.5 and PM 10 in Rourkela, the pollution control board has advised certain emergency measures including closure of schools and colleges.

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"The level of PM 10 and PM 2.5 in the Rourkela atmosphere on March 8 was 5 times more than the desired levels. We are still monitoring the situation and measuring the level of the particulate matter regularly. The rise in pollution level was due to lack of wind movement and cloudy sky. As a matter of precaution, we have advised the district administration to stop construction activities and shut down some industries which are probably adding to the pollution," said Mohapatra. High PM2.5 and PM10 levels can potentially impair lung function.

Though the condition improved a little bit on Wednesday, students said they faced a burning sensation in the nose and eyes while travelling to the college. The heavy smog also reduced visibility during driving.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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