Bhubaneswar: The 6th Steering Committee meeting on pollution control in Odisha was held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja. The meeting emphasised making the monitoring system for pollution control more effective at both state and district levels.
The Chief Secretary stressed the importance of managing the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and the State Clean Air Programme (SCAP) in a data-driven manner. He directed the State Pollution Control Board to discuss proposals with concerned departments and streamline institutional management.
The NCAP aims to reduce PM2.5 and PM10 levels in the air sustainably, focusing on industrial cities like Rourkela, Angul, and Bhubaneswar. The State Clean Air Programme (SCAP) has been launched to cover 12 cities with high pollution levels, with a proposed expenditure of Rs. 150 crore from 2025-26 to 2030.
Ahuja emphasised the need for action plans, regular monitoring, and greenery creation in cities and surroundings through extensive tree plantation to maintain air quality despite population growth and industrial development.
