India, Jan. 7 -- With Odisha - long considered one of India's greener States - recently making headlines for air pollution and Baripada figuring among the polluted urban centres, the Mayurbhanj district administration has rolled out a series of strict measures to arrest further deterioration in air quality.

The move comes with the unsettling inclusion of the town - along with Balasore and Talcher - among India's five most among the country's five most polluted urban centres in recent weeks. While this has come as a surprise, it has also added a new dimension to the State's air quality debate given Baripada's proximity to 4,000-sq-km Similipal Biosphere Reserve, its otherwise green surroundings and lack of major industrial activity.

With...