Bhubaneswar, October 5: Odisha Chief Secretary and Chairperson of the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB), Anu Garg, on Monday visited the Board and reviewed its regulatory mechanisms, environmental monitoring, waste management, infrastructure, human resources and plans.

Garg stressed the need to strike a balance between environmental protection and industrial development to create a conducive environment for new investments in Odisha. With the state witnessing rapid growth in sectors such as steel, aluminium, power, mining and petrochemicals, she called for adata-driven, technology-enabled and transparent environmental management system.

She directed the Board to focus on policy reforms, institutional capacity building, modern technology, stronger laboratory and research infrastructure, public awareness and human resource development. Environmental approval and compliance procedures, she said, should be simple, transparent, predictable, time-bound and technology-drivento improve the ease of doing business.

Highlighting the importance of the circular economy, Garg called for a shift from waste disposal to reuse, recycling, resource recovery and value addition, promoting the concept of “Waste to Wealth”. She stressed better management of municipal, industrial, plastic, e-waste, hazardous and construction waste.

The Chief Secretary also emphasised greater utilisation of industrial by-products such as fly ash, slag, red mud and phosphogypsum in construction, highways and other infrastructure projects.

She called for strengthening online pollution monitoring, automated data collection, digital compliance systems and real-time air and water quality information. Modernisation of OSPCB laboratories and greater collaboration with research and technical institutions were also discussed.

Garg further stressed expanding environmental awareness among students and the public through outreach programmes and social media. She said all future initiatives of the Board should align with the vision of ‘Viksit Odisha-2036’ and ‘Viksit Bharat-2047’, linking environmental sustainability with economic growth, investment, innovation and employment.

OSPCB Member SecretaryDr Manoj V. Nair made a presentation on the Board’s activities and future roadmap. Human resource requirements, filling vacant posts and strengthening regional offices, laboratories, legal and IT wings were also reviewed.

Garg said the OSPCB has a key role in promoting responsible industrialisation and sustainable development and in helping Odisha emerge as a clean, green and sustainable state.