New Year 2026 begins under a smog blanket as Odisha records hazardous air quality

Bhubaneswar: Odisha ushered in the New Year 2026 under alarming air quality conditions, with several cities recording hazardous to severe Air Quality Index (AQI) levels amid dense fog and biting winter cold, triggering concerns over public health and safety.

Major urban centres choke as AQI slips into Hazardous zone

According to reports, major urban centres including Bhubaneswar, Balasore, Cuttack, Jajpur, Baripada and Sambalpur witnessed hazardous air quality on Thursday morning. The deteriorating conditions were attributed to a combination of stagnant winter air, fog, and rising pollution levels.

Bhubaneswar, Balasore, Cuttack among worst affected 

At around 7.00 am, Bhubaneswar recorded an AQI of 352, followed by Balasore at 343, Vyasanagar in Jajpur district at 328, Cuttack at 309, Baripada at 306 and Sambalpur at 304—placing all these cities firmly in the ‘hazardous’ category.

Meanwhile, industrial and mining belts such as Keonjhar and Angul also reported severely degraded air quality, with AQI readings of 266 and 263 respectively during the morning hours.

Dense fog reduces visibility, disrupts early morning movement

The situation was compounded by dense fog across the state capital. Bhubaneswar woke up to poor visibility, with several localities blanketed in thick fog during early hours, disrupting normal movement.

Ground reports indicated that visibility dropped to as low as 50 metres at certain locations, posing challenges for commuters. Traffic movement, particularly along National Highways passing through the city, remained slow as drivers exercised caution.

The foggy conditions persisted until around 11 am, while health experts cautioned residents—especially children, the elderly and those with respiratory ailments—to limit outdoor exposure amid the prevailing poor air quality.