Bhubaneswar: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has sought immediate intervention to tackle the worsening air pollution in Odisha’s Angul–Talcher industrial belt.
Dharmendra, who represents Sambalpur in Lok Sabha, has written separate letters to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
Voicing concern over the hazardous level of Air Quality Index (AQI) in Angul posing grave risks to public health, he stressed that the pollution problem is not only an environmental issue but also a public health emergency.
Calling for stricter monitoring of emissions, and adoption of cleaner technologies, Dharmendra suggested a joint effort between the Centre and the state government, stressing on the urgency of
coordinated action.
The 3 letters by Pradhan mark a significant push for accountability and collaboration, as the Angul–Talcher region is a major hub for coal and power production. The Minister has suggested strengthening industrial pollution control regulations along with robust real-time monitoring systems, implementing a mechanised coal transportation system to reduce dust and emissions, creating green buffers through afforestation around industrial areas and mining belts to curb pollution, expanding long-term projects under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) for sustained improvement in air quality and ensure coordination between the Pollution Control Board, district administration and industrial establishments to arrive at a permanent solution.
The Union Minister has noted in his letters that unchecked emissions from coal mines, thermal power plants and industrial units have pushed Talcher into the list of the most polluted cities in India. “The pollution in Angul–Talcher is not just an environmental issue but a public health emergency. Immediate steps must be taken to safeguard the lives of thousands of residents who are suffering due to hazardous air quality,” said the Minister.