Byrnihat Declared World’s Most Polluted Place: Meghalaya CM Calls for Joint Action with Assam
First Published: 13th March, 2025 20:58 IST
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has called for joint action with Assam to tackle the alarming pollution levels in Byrnihat.
World’s Most Polluted Place: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has called for joint action with Assam to tackle the alarming pollution levels in Byrnihat, which has been declared the most polluted city in the world by the World Air Quality Report for 2024, published by IQAir, a Swiss company that monitors global air pollution levels.
“I have already sent a letter to the Assam CM, but I haven’t received any reply yet. I will speak to him over the phone. This is a serious concern for us. Since Byrnihat is a border area, pollution is being caused from both sides. I am not saying which side is more or less responsible both states need to act together. We must take strict action. We also need a joint programme to inspect the industries together. There are rules that industries must follow; if they don’t, we will shut them down,” Sangma told reporters.
World’s Most Polluted Place
The report states that the annual average concentration of PM2.5 in Byrnihat was 128.2 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³), which is 25 times higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual air quality guideline of just 5 µg/m³. The report has raised serious concerns about the environmental and health impact on the local population.
This is not the first time Byrnihat’s air quality has made news headlines. In January 2024, the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air had also ranked Byrnihat as the most polluted city in India based on monthly average PM2.5 levels. The latest report has intensified concerns over how this small town, surrounded by scenic landscapes, became a pollution hotspot.
Byrnihat is located about 20 km from Guwahati and 65 km from Shillong, within Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district. Over the years, it has transformed into a major industrial hub due to its strategic location where the hills of Meghalaya descend into the plains of Assam.
The residential areas of Byrnihat are in Meghalaya, while the industrial zones stretch across both Meghalaya and Assam. In Meghalaya, the industries are concentrated in the Byrnihat Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP), while in Assam, they are located in Tamulikuchi in Kamrup Metropolitan district, along the national highway.
The town houses industries producing coke (fuel), cement, ferroalloys, steel, and bricks, as well as distilleries. These industries emerged in the region primarily due to the easy availability of coal from Meghalaya, the proximity to Guwahati, and access to water from the Umtru River.
According to the Meghalaya State Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Air Pollution, released in December 2024, Byrnihat has 39 industrial units in Assam and 41 in Meghalaya. Out of these, 20 industries in Assam and five in Meghalaya fall under the “red category” — a classification by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests that identifies industries causing heavy pollution. These include cement factories, distilleries, iron and steel plants, and coke production units.
Additionally, 15 industries in Assam and 22 in Meghalaya are classified as “orange category” industries, which include brick manufacturing and cement clinker grinding units.
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