The air pollution level in the capital has reached to 200 micrograms per cubic meter, a little below than the air pollution level of 256 micrograms in Beijing, China.
To address the alarming air pollution level here, a cycle rally was organised by socio-cultural outfit Prerana here on Sunday. BMC Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena, BDA Secretary Ranjan Kumar Dash, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Culture Dr Bimalendu Mohanty and NABARD ex-General Manager Gopal Patnaik participated in the cycle rally. Besides, more than 200 college students cycled spreading awareness on air pollution. The slogan for the drive was ‘Yes for cycle, No for car’. “We are very close to the crucial condition of Beijing, which has issued Red Alert due to the air pollution. In Delhi, it is 300 micrograms. To avoid such an alarming situation here, we have decided to observe every last Sunday of a month as car-free day and cycle-day”, said Prerana president Dillip Shrichandan. The guests lauded the initiative taken by Prerana and called upon the citizens to cooperate and abandon car on every last Sunday to avoid situations like Bejing and Delhi.