Bhubaneswar: To check the rising air pollution and temperature in Odisha capital, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to impose 10,000 fine on those found burning garbage and other waste in the open.
Sanitation inspectors at ward-level have already been asked to impose the penalty in their jurisdiction, BMC Commissioner Vijay Amruta Kulange told the media. A standard operating procedure (SOP) in this regard will be formulated and notified after the matter is discussed in the next round of corporation meeting, he added.
According to OSPCB, the air quality index (AQI) of the city with prominent pollutant PM10 has been found to be deteriorating. “This step is directed at bringing down the PM10 level to below 60mg/m3 within a year and also reduce the level of PM 2.5, another major pollutant in the air,” Kulange said.
A study by BMC with the help of Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) had revealed that two dozen wards in the state capital are prone to severe heat conditions and fall in the red category.
The BMC commissioner said that zonal deputy commissioners have been asked to ensure proper functioning of UPHCs and UCHCs and temporary water kiosks from 9 am to 4 pm to tackle summer effectively in the city.
Provision of water kiosks will also be made for labourers in different places after a meeting with stakeholders of construction work, he added.
