Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has called for urgent steps to fix the severe air pollution in the Angul–Talcher industrial belt. He wrote letters to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, and Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy warning about the serious health risks. He said Angul’s Air Quality Index (AQI) is in the ‘severe’ category, and Talcher is among India's most polluted cities. "The deteriorating air quality poses grave risks to public health, especially affecting children, the elderly, and people suffering from respiratory ailments," he said. Pradhan suggested stricter pollution control enforcement, real-time monitoring, and a mechanised coal transport system combined with advanced dust control. He also recommended creating "green buffers" with extensive plantations around industries and mines. He urged expanding efforts under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) for a lasting solution. The current Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) measures are only temporary, he added, calling for coordination among the State Pollution Control Board, district administration, and industries. Cooperation between central and state governments is vital, he emphasized, to improve life in the Angul and Talcher areas. Recently, Angul’s AQI hit alarming levels of 346 and 326 on January 2 and 3, with a slight improvement to 203 on January 6, but overall pollution remains 'very poor.' This led the Angul district to issue the GRAP Stage II notification, a first in Odisha, to combat pollution. Talcher coalfield is known to have one of India’s largest coal deposits.