By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, May 03, 2020: The pollution levels in major towns in Odisha fell drastically during the lockdown, says Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB).

The OSPCB, which had carried out a comparative study between the air-quality indices measured on the last day of the “normal period” with the lockdown period in the month of March, said that within a week’s time, a massive deviation in air quality was noticed in bigger towns such as Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Paradip and Jharsuguda.

“The air quality in Bhubaneswar got better by 60%, while there was a 59% improvement in the case of Berhampur. There was a noticeable difference in the air quality of other towns,” said Debidutta Biswal, Member Secretary, OSPCB.

The PM10 (Particulate Matter) count in Bhubaneswar was 102 on the last day of “normal period”, and in the subsequent week, it dropped to 41. Jharsuguda, an industrial town, had its PM10 count measured at 116 on the last day of the “normal period”, but during the lockdown, the air quality got better with its PM10 assessed at 55.

The OSPCB considered 16 urban centres in Odisha for comparative study. Air quality in almost all towns was found to be either satisfactory or good. Earlier, people had complained of breathing problems in some towns.

Nitrogen dioxide, which is caused by the burning of fuel, fell below detection levels in Bhubaneswar during the lockdown. Earlier, it was measured at 16.6 microgram per cubic metre.

Environmentalists said the reason behind the improvement in air quality was the sudden disappearance of vehicles from the road. “After lockdown is over, vehicles are bound to ply on roads, polluting the atmosphere again. From now on, we need to strike a balance between economic development and the environment,” said Hemant Rout, an environmental activist.