Status: Not ApprovedHEAD: 24_Bhu_RR_AQIByline: Riyan Ramanath VBhubaneswar air quality index improves to moderate in january february this yearRiyan.Ramanath@timesofindia.comBhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar air quality index (AQI), which slipped into the ‘poor’ category in November and December last year, with PM2.5 levels touching 207 and 297 respectively, from ‘moderate’ in January and February and ‘satisfactory’ in March to July 2025, improved again to moderate in January-February this year, revealed an assembly reply by forest and environment minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia on Tuesday.Responding to a question by Sonepur MLA Niranjan Pujari, who wanted a response from the minister regarding the air quality of Bhubaneswar and whether it was worse than Delhi (NCR), the minister said: “No. In February, AQI remained between 101 and 200, which is considered moderate. This index will improve from March to October, as usually happens. Between November and February, the quality remains around the poor and moderate categories,” the minister said in the written reply.Regarding a comparison of annual average AQI with Delhi, the reply revealed that Bhubaneswar’s average per annum AQI was far better than that of Delhi, at 88 and 223 respectively.Measures such as increasing the frequency of water sprinkling, mist spraying, banning open burning of garbage, and hotels minimising the use of coal-based chullahs helped bring down the AQI to a healthy level, State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) officials said.“The measures started showing a positive outcome from the middle of January. With winter impact falling now, there is not much dust suspended in ambient air. The ambient air pollution reduced significantly,” said SPCB senior environmental scientist Niranjan Mallick.When the AQI remained between 200 and 300, the capital’s sky looked foggy and, without a mask, inhaling caused a jerking cough in some people. This phenomenon is not there now. Now the sky looks clear and the ambient air is breathable, he added.Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) also issued instructions to minimise construction work considerably, and most construction and demolition waste piled up on roadsides was removed. MSID:: 128752685 413 |