Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar continues to face deteriorating air quality, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) consistently remaining in the ‘poor’ category, raising concerns over public health and environmental sustainability. In response, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced a large-scale afforestation initiative aimed at improving the city’s air quality and green cover.
Under the plan, BMC intends to plant one crore trees within a year across various parts of the city. Officials said the initiative is designed to address rising pollution levels while also enhancing Bhubaneswar’s environmental resilience. Expanded green cover is expected to help absorb pollutants, regulate urban temperatures, and improve overall living conditions.
Mayor Sulochana Das described air pollution as a global challenge and stressed the need for collective action. She highlighted the importance of public participation in the plantation drive, noting that community involvement would be key to achieving the programme’s targets.
The plantation effort forms part of the city’s broader environmental management strategy as authorities seek long-term solutions to urban pollution. Civic officials stated that sustained implementation and citizen cooperation would determine the effectiveness of the initiative in improving Bhubaneswar’s air quality and environmental health.
-OdishaAge
