Bhubaneswar: The sports department has asked the Odisha State Pollution Control Board to furnish details of the city's latest pollution levels after Ireland, which will take part in the Men's Hockey World Cup in November and December next year, expressed concern on the issue.

An Irish team official sent an email to Hockey India on the basis of news reports published online. "The report may please be sent to us for sharing with Hockey India and the International Hockey Federation so that any apprehension of the visiting teams on this account may be allayed," the department's letter said.

The state capital hosted the 2014 Champions Trophy and will host the Men's Hockey World League Final in December. The government has already begun preparations for the world cup.

A board report from February 2016 had revealed that pollutants in the ambient air were above the permissible limit at all six pollution monitoring stations here. The particulate matter (PM-10) level was between 120 microgram per metre cube and 213 microgram per metre cube, while the permissible limit is 100 microgram per metre cube.

"The pollution level at that point of time was high because of piling up of construction materials. This month, however, the pollution level is much below the permissible limit as continuous rain put a dampener on Diwali celebrations," said a board official.

"The air quality index (AQI), calculated on the basis of pollutants like carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, and carbon dioxide, should be less than 100. The city's AQI for September and October was 76 and 82, respectively, which is satisfactory," he said.