State forest, environment and housing minister Mohammed Akbar at a review meeting of  the environment department, was on Thursday informed that pollution levels in cities across the state, have recorded a sharp decline.

State capital Raipur  along with other major towns and industrial cities has recorded a fall in the pollution level by end of March last week as compared to the first week before the lockdown was imposed across the state, official told the minister.

Raipur, Bhilai, Bilaspur and Korba  recorded a Pm 10-50 microgram per cubic metre, which is a good index of air quality.

But the population level in Raigarh was more than 50 that is 60.54, which is higher than good but under satisfactory quality.

The minister directed the departmental official  to issue a show cause notice to Raigarh Regional Environment Officer Ajay Gedam.

Akbar said the drop in the pollution level was due to the lockdown,  and due the restriction on vehicular traffic and construction activities.

“There has also been a reduction in industrial activities which is also one of key reasons for the improvement in air quality,” he said.

According to the         monitoring carried out by the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board, in the fourth week of March, Raipu recorded 32 microgram per cubic metre, Bilaspur 50.45, Korba 37, while Raigarh recorded 60.54 microgram per cubic metre.

In first week of March at Raipur, it was 55.44 microgram per cubic metre.

The quantity of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide was also found to be lower in quantity across the cities, the figures show.