Air quality in Talcher

What is the level of air pollution in Talcher now?

Talcher also known as City of Black Diamond or Coal City of Odisha is one of the fastest growing industrial and coal hubs in the state, in north east India. It is situated on the right bank of the River Brahmani, and is one of the fastest growing industrial and mining complexes in the country. The city is enclosed by coalfields and has three Mega Power plants because of this.

Towards the middle of 2021, Talcher was experiencing a period of air quality that could be classed as being “Unhealthy for sensitive groups” with a US AQI reading of 119. This system is recognised worldwide and it allows comparisons to be made between different cities, even if they are in different countries. They still use the same metrics. It follows the guidelines laid down by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is calculated by measuring up to six main pollutants most commonly found in polluted air. Sometimes records are not available for all six pollutants so a level has to be established using the information that is available. In the case of Talcher, only three recordings were available for the period of time in question. These were: PM2.5 - 28 µg/m³, PM10 - 46 µg/m³ and ozone (O₃) - 18 µg/m³. With relatively high levels such as these, it is highly recommended to stay indoors and close all doors and windows to prevent more dirty air from entering the rooms. A good quality mask should be worn when venturing outside although prolonged periods of outdoor activity are not recommended until the air quality improves. The table at the top of this page will help you to decide when it is safe to go outside again.

Is the level of air pollution in Talcher the same all year round?

Air pollution can be very volatile as it is affected by many variables such as wind speed and direction, temperature and the strength of sunlight, so it can change very quickly, even within just a few hours. The figures for 2020 are now available on the IQAir website and it can easily be seen that the best air quality is available during the summer/autumn months, from May until the end of October. The recorded figures were between 12.1 and 35.4 µg/m³ which categorised it as being “Moderate”. The spring months of March and April were slightly worse with figures between 35.5 and 55.4 µg/m³ which classified it as being “Unhealthy for sensitive groups”. Similar figures were seen in November (47.9 µg/m³). The colder winter months of December, January and February were much worse as this is the time of year when coal is burnt to produce energy to heat the homes and offices. At this time of year, the classification was “Unhealthy” with figures between 55.5 and 150.4 µg/m³.

Records of air quality were first kept in 2018 when the quality of air was “Unhealthy” with a reading of 58 µg/m³. 2019 saw a marked improvement when the figure released was 38.4 µg/m³. However, a slight rise was seen in 2020 when the figure was 42.6 µg/m³.

Where does the polluted air in Talcher come from?

The huge increase in the number of motor vehicles and the toxic gas dissolved in the air due to this increase in the amount of pollution is being considered responsible. Along with this, the emissions released from various factories are also no less responsible in the name of industrial development.

Soil is being transported indiscriminately without being covered by a tarpaulin. Along with this, the transportation of clinker, cement, ballast and sand is also being done openly. Due to this, a layer of dust is being collected on the roads in the city.

Coal is used in most of the brick kilns in the district. It also spreads pollution. A spokesman for the Regional Officer of the Environmental Control Board said that the use of BRICS Clean Technology reduces the pollution level of the chimney. Only 40 kiln operators in the district are following the order. Notices are being sent to the owners of about 100 chimneys located.

What can be done to improve the air quality in Talcher?

The dust emanating from construction activities has remained a major source of air pollution. Such air pollution is made worse by the transportation of such materials in open trailers even though they are supposed to be covered during transit. This activity releases a considerable amount of dust in PM2.5 and PM10 which has an adverse effect on the level of air quality.

In many states, the use of vehicles that are older than 15 years is being discouraged due to the relatively high levels of emissions produced by their old designs. Modern engines have the latest technology fitted which noticeably reduces the harmful content of the exhaust emissions.

Many factory chimneys can now be retro-fitted which cleaners and scrubbers to reduce the amount of toxins that are otherwise released into the environment.

What effect does polluted air in Talcher have on human health?

According to the World Health Organisation, air pollution increases the risk of many serious diseases. Heart diseases include stroke, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and acute respiratory infections. Children are more prone to Acute Respiratory Infections than adults because their organs are not yet fully formed and as they are more active, they tend to breathe quicker.

Asthma is a respiratory disease in which the patient has difficulty in breathing, feels chest pressure and coughs. This happens when a person's respiratory tubes start getting blocked. These blockages come from allergies (air pollution) and phlegm. It has also been observed in many patients that inflammation in the respiratory tract also occurs.

Experts say that air pollution increases the risk of heart attack. Fine poisonous particles such as PM2.5 enter the blood which leads to swelling of the arteries and then increases the risk of heart attack.

Acute infection of the respiratory tract makes it difficult for children to breathe. Children are more susceptible to this disease and children under 5 years of age are likely to die because of it.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory disease in which the patient has difficulty breathing.