Air pollution levels are steadily rising across several cities in Odisha, particularly in the ‘Twin Cities’ of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the air quality index (AQI) in the Twin Cities has ranged between 230 and 300 since December 2025, oscillating between the ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ categories. Research indicates that air quality in these cities is deteriorating due to rising industrialisation, vehicular pollution, and construction.
