Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar has recorded a noticeable improvement in air quality over the past three days, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) returning to the ‘moderate’ category after remaining in the hazardous zone for much of December. Data from the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) show the city’s three-day average AQI at 133, with daily readings of 136 on Saturday, 120 on Sunday and 142 on Monday.
Authorities have attributed the improvement to a series of short-term, coordinated interventions rolled out across the city. These include intensified water sprinkling and mist spraying on major arterial roads, strict enforcement of the ban on open waste burning, curbs on construction and demolition activity, and advisories to hotels and eateries to minimise the use of coal-based chullahs. Civic teams have also focused on dust suppression in bus depots and the removal of accumulated debris from roadsides.
Officials say the measures have led to a visible reduction in smog and have eased respiratory discomfort among residents. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced that these steps will continue at least until the end of winter, a period when low temperatures and calm winds allow fine particulate matter to remain suspended in the air for longer durations.
However, environmental experts caution against viewing the current improvement as a permanent turnaround. They argue that water sprinkling and dust suppression, while effective in the short term, merely address surface-level symptoms rather than the structural sources of pollution. Vehicular emissions, dependence on fossil fuels, unregulated construction activity, and urban planning gaps remain largely unaddressed.
“The current dip in AQI reflects better management, not systemic change,” said an environmental analyst. “Once these emergency measures are withdrawn, pollution levels could rebound unless deeper interventions are implemented.”
Experts stress the need for a long-term, integrated clean air strategy that includes tighter emission norms, accelerated transition to cleaner fuels, improved public transport, stricter construction regulations, and continuous monitoring and enforcement. Without such measures, they warn, Bhubaneswar risks repeating a cycle of temporary relief followed by renewed deterioration.
For now, the improved AQI has brought a measure of respite to residents. Whether it marks the beginning of sustained air quality management or remains a seasonal band-aid will depend on how decisively the city moves beyond emergency controls to structural reform.
