Meghalaya Orders Urgent Industrial Audit in Byrnihat After Being Named World’s Most Polluted City

The audit, which must be completed within a week, will be submitted to the Forest and Environment Department for review.

World’s Most Polluted City: The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive audit and inspection of all industrial units in Byrnihat on the Meghalaya side. This directive came from Chief Minister Conrad Sangma after Byrnihat was declared the most polluted city in the world by the 2024 World Air Quality Report, published by Swiss-based IQAir.

The audit, which must be completed within a week, will be submitted to the Forest and Environment Department for review. This decisive step signals the Meghalaya government’s strong response to the alarming pollution levels and its commitment to improving air quality.

Chief Minister Sangma’s directive follows his statement during the recent Budget Session of the Assembly, where he acknowledged the global and national reports highlighting severe environmental concerns. Sangma stressed the need for coordinated action between Assam and Meghalaya, particularly since most of the highly polluting red-category industries are located on the Assam side of Byrnihat.

Meanwhile, Assam Pollution Control Board has already begun its own audit and inspection of industrial units in the region. The Meghalaya government is now intensifying its efforts to monitor and mitigate pollution on its side, underlining a firm stance on environmental regulation and cross-border cooperation.

World’s Most Polluted City

The World Air Quality Report revealed that the annual average concentration of PM2.5 in Byrnihat was recorded at 128.2 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³)—25 times higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended annual guideline of 5 µg/m³. This 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 raised alarms. In January 2024, the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air ranked Byrnihat as the most polluted city in India based on its monthly average PM2.5 levels. The latest report has heightened concerns over how this small industrial town became a major pollution hotspot.

With both Assam and Meghalaya taking swift action, all eyes are now on whether these measures will lead to meaningful improvements in Byrnihat’s air quality and public health.

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