Bhubaneswar: Odisha welcomed the New Year under a blanket of smog, as several cities reported hazardous to severe Air Quality Index (AQI) levels amid dense fog and biting winter cold.
According to air quality monitoring data, multiple urban centres in Odisha registered AQI levels in the ‘severe’ to ‘hazardous’ categories on New Year morning. In the capital city of Bhubaneswar, residents woke up to heavy smog and fog, drastically cutting visibility to as low as 50 metres in several areas. Motorists on national highways and urban roads reported slow-moving traffic due to the haze, which lingered well into the morning hours.
Experts point to a combination of stagnant atmospheric conditions during winter, dense fog trapping pollutants, and ongoing emissions as key factors behind the spike in pollution.
Here are the AQI readings of the major urban centres in Odisha at 7 am.
Bhubaneswar: 352
Balasore: 343
Vyasanagar (Jajpur): 328
Cuttack: 309
Baripada: 306
Sambalpur: 304
Industrial and mining hubs such as Keonjhar (266 AQI) and Angul (263 AQI) also reported severely degraded air quality.
The poor air quality has sparked widespread concerns about health risks and reduced visibility, particularly impacting daily commutes and outdoor activities.
