Bhubaneswar Imposes Sweeping Anti-Pollution Order as Odisha Expands Curbs

Overview

• The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation issued a comprehensive order enforcing covered transport of materials, vehicle washing at sites, full cladding, temporary paving and regular watering at construction areas, with violations risking plan suspensions, site stoppages and action under environmental laws.
• Hotels, dhabas, schools and community venues in Bhubaneswar were warned against using coal or firewood stoves, daily water sprinkling was ordered in priority zones including the Lingaraj Temple area, and bus depots were instructed to conduct mandatory daily bus washing.
• The state announced a 6 pm to 10 am halt on construction in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, with local authorities directing builders to cover materials, maintain continuous sprinkling and lay temporary access routes, and warning of suspensions for non-compliance.
• Balasore invoked GRAP Stage II under Section 163 of the BNSS, restricting construction and earthwork during evening and morning hours, curbing heavy-vehicle movement, requiring tarpaulin-covered permitted trucks and mandating water sprinkling with daily enforcement reports.
• Angul was identified as the first district to issue a GRAP Stage II notification, with officials and experts pointing to industrial emissions, coal and ore transport, construction dust and poor dispersion conditions, while media reports also cite demolition halts, open-burning bans and tighter RTO-police checks on vehicle emissions.