Bhubaneswar: Following the success of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), the Odisha government is set to roll out a State Clean Air Programme (SCAP) covering 12 cities across the state. Most of these cities are industrial hubs, including Jharsuguda, Brajrajnagar, Belpahad, Bonai, Rajgangpur, Keonjhar, Joda, and Barbil. Puri and Berhampur, though not industrial towns, have also been included due to their poor air quality levels.

Under the new initiative, the government has drawn up a five-year plan with an estimated outlay of ₹150 crore. The programme will focus on reducing garbage burning, controlling road dust, managing construction debris, promoting the use of electric vehicles over petrol and diesel ones, and encouraging cycling. Regular monitoring of air quality, awareness campaigns, workshops, and citizen participation are also part of the plan.

Currently, seven Odisha cities-- Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Angul, Talcher, Balasore, and Kalinganagar-- are already covered under NCAP. As a result, recent rankings show improvement in the air quality of Angul, Talcher, Bhubaneswar, and Cuttack. Taking cues from this progress, the state government decided to introduce SCAP to target other pollution-prone cities.

To strengthen pollution control, OSPCB has also signed an agreement with IIT Bhubaneswar for real-time monitoring of fly ash emissions from industries. A citizen-reporting app, expected to be ready in six months, will allow residents to report violations. The system will use modern tools such as drones and QR codes for effective tracking of fly ash from its release to disposal.