New Delhi, Sept 18 (KNN) To keep a check on polluting industries in the state, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched a ‘Star Rating Program’ for industries to reduce pollution.

The objective of this program is to strengthen State Pollution Control Board’s (SPCB) regulatory efforts to reduce pollution.

It is a first-of-its-kind transparency initiative under which industries will be categorize from one to five stars, with one star being the least compliant and five stars being the most compliant to the pollution standards set by the regulator.

The initiative has been launched with a view to combat industrial pollution which has become a grave matter of concern for the entire nation.

This move will also help citizens to identify the sources of pollution in their neighborhood and city.

At the launch event, Patnaik said, "The Star- Rating Program is an excellent example of the 3T framework Teamwork, Transparency and Technology.”

He said this program will help the public to find out whether industries in their vicinity are fair in their environmental compliance and empower them to strengthen regulations through public participation.

The star program also recognizes the efforts of industries that take responsibility to maintain a clean environment and go beyond what the regulations require them to do. This system would also encourage and induce industries to adopt clean technologies, he added.

Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has worked with researchers from Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC India) and others to launch a similar program last year, but Odisha's program is first in India to utilize continually monitored emissions data captured in real time from major industrial plants.