Angul becomes hot spot: 'Heat Island Study' remains a distant dream

By: Prashant Dash Angul, May 12: ‘Heat Island Study’ that was proposed to establish the underlying cause of intense warming in Angul is so far a dear dream for the residents. Angul is one of the hot spots of India. People take it as the adverse effect of the environmental pollution caused by the ring of industries. On the other hand, the state Pollution Control Board says, it is due to some other underlying causes, since the environmental pollution in Angul is under control as per the report of Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI).  Similarly, the National  Air Ambient Standard (NAAQS) index is approximately normal across the district. In this situation, the exact cause of environmental warming can only be established by the ‘Heat Island Study’. Heat Island study is the most scientific method to diagnose the thermostatic condition of a certain habitat. Environmental scientists including geo-physics, remote sensing, areal survey, metallurgy, marine science and space science carry a joint study using a California based climatic Model. That research comes up with an actual outcome on abnormal rise in temperature. Alarmingly, the average temperature of Angul is getting higher day by day. Normal temperature at Talcher exceeds 42 degree Celsius in the early summer that reaches around 47 degree in the peak May causing concern for the habitat. As per the report of Indian Meteorological Department, Angul has been recording the highest temperature in Odisha during summer since last eighties. In no year ranging from 1999-2020, Talcher, the industrial hub of Angul experienced less than 46 degree of mercury in the mid summer. Thus, the roasting temperature is a matter of deep concern for the lives and vegetation of the district. Bibhudendra Pratap Das, a former MLA, having concerned over it, had filed a complaint before the Human Right Commission in 2013 in this connection. He cited acute environmental pollution caused abnormal rise of temperature in Angul alleging the negligence of the pollution control board. However, the board told the pollution level in Angul-Talcher industrial estate clocks normal and has no effect on the summer. At the same time, it pledged to undertake ‘Heat Island Study’ with the technical guidance of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for Angul and work on the recommendation of the study. On the other hand, the study methodology remains a distant dream for the people of Angul.