GUWAHATI
Assam and Meghalaya need to work together to make India’s most polluted town on the border between the two States more breathable, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has said.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) ranked Byrnihat, an industrial town about 25 k.m. from Guwahati on the highway to Shillong, as the urban space with the worst air quality for the second successive year in 2024.
The town is dotted with industrial units, including coke plants, on either side of the Assam-Meghalaya border.
Mr. Sangma said on Thursday that he would formally discuss with his Assam counterpart, Himanta Biswa Sarma, the need to initiate joint efforts to improve Byrnihat’s Air Quality Index (AQI).
He said both States must coordinate their efforts through their respective Pollution Control Boards to address the issue. “However, we will deal with the polluting units within our jurisdiction before urging Assam to take a similar action,” he said.
Mr. Sangma said the Meghalaya government had begun cracking down on the polluting units, with seven of them having been shut down for violating pollution norms. Environmental compensation was imposed on two industrial units.
“Surprise checks will continue, and strict action will be taken against any industries flouting environmental regulations,” Mr. Sangma said, advising local communities to help reduce pollution levels and promote sustainable practices.
“Apart from the poor air quality, noise and foul smell emanating from the industries are affecting the local people. It is alarming that a small town in arguably India’s greenest region should top the chart for ‘very poor’ air quality,” Sosthenes Sohtun, the local MLA said.
The CPCB declared Byrnihat as India’s most polluted urban area in 2023 with an AQI of 302. The pollution level was almost the same in 2024, underscoring the need for strong intervention and cooperation between Assam and Meghalaya.
Officials in Assam said they had been monitoring the industrial units within the boundary of the State. “Most units have been found to operate within the emission norms during inspections but we are keeping a watch on them,” an official of the Assam Pollution Control Board said.
