Odisha CM launches star-rating system for industries to reduce air pollution

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched a 'Star Rating program' for industries to strengthen State Pollution Control Board's (SPCB) regulatory efforts to reduce pollution.

It is a first-of-its-kind transparency initiative to categorise industries from one to five stars compliant to pollution standards.

The emerging pollution is a serious concern today and industrial pollution is the biggest contributor to that. Keeping all this in mind, the initiative was launched. It will also help citizens to identify the sources of pollution in their neighbourhood and city.

At the launch event, the Chief Minister said, "The Star- Rating Program is an excellent example of the 3T framework Teamwork, Transparency and Technology. This programme will help the public to find out whether industries in their vicinity are fair in their environmental compliance and empower them to strengthen regulations through public participation."

He added, "The Star Rating Programme also recognizes the efforts of industries that take responsibility to maintain a clean environment and go beyond what the regulations require them to do. This system would also encourage and induce industries to adopt clean technologies."

Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has worked with researchers from Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC India) and others to launch a similar program last year, but Odisha's program is first in India to utilize continually monitored emissions data captured in real time from major industrial plants.