Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], January 9 : In a bid to combat rising air pollution levels across the state, the Odisha government is planning to extend restrictions on construction activities in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack from 6:00 pm to 10:00 am till June, Forest, Environment & Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Khuntia said.
Odisha's Minister of State Ganesh Ram Khuntia said, "We are taking precautions. The government is monitoring. This is the working season. All big works are there. This step has been taken to curb the local temporary disturbance. We have issued an advisory. The restrictions will continue till June. Once it rains, we will lift the ban after inspecting the AQI."
Further the State Environment Minister stated that the Odisha government is closely monitoring the Air Quality Index (AQI) of the twin cities and will take responsive measures based on the prevailing situation. If the air quality does not improve, the restrictions may continue for a longer period, possibly till June.
The Minister Khuntia added that air quality in both Bhubaneswar and Cuttack has remained poor for over a month. During the last five days of December, the AQI in both cities slipped into the 'very poor' category twice, raising serious health and environmental concerns.
As part of measures to curb air pollution, the government has imposed restrictions on construction activities. All construction work in the twin cities will remain suspended from 6 pm to 10 am for a week, aiming to reduce dust and pollution levels, particularly during the night and early morning hours.
Restrictions are being implemented in a streamlined manner to ensure better control over pollution sources, while efforts are also being made to minimise temporary inconvenience to the public. The situation will be reviewed periodically, and further decisions will be taken based on AQI trends and environmental conditions, the minister added.