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Draft:Byrnihat

Coordinates: 26°03′10″N 91°52′09″E / 26.05277°N 91.86916°E / 26.05277; 91.86916
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Byrnihat
Industrial town
Byrnihat is located in Meghalaya
Byrnihat
Byrnihat
Location in Meghalaya, India
Byrnihat is located in India
Byrnihat
Byrnihat
Byrnihat (India)
Coordinates: 26°03′10″N 91°52′09″E / 26.05277°N 91.86916°E / 26.05277; 91.86916
Country India
StateMeghalaya
DistrictRi-Bhoi
BlockUmling
Elevation
[1]
66 m (217 ft)
Population
 (2011)[2]
 • Total
298
Languages[3]
 • OfficialKhasi
 • RegionalBhoi dialect
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN[4]
793101
Village Code[5]277492

Byrnihat is an industrial town under the Umling block in the Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya, India;[1] located on the Meghalaya-Assam border.[6]

History

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In 2011, it was reported that illegally felled trees from various parts of Meghalaya were being used by industries in Byrnihat.[7]

A meeting on the development of the bamboo industry was held on 24th January 2020 at the Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre in Byrnihat by the North Eastern Council.[8]

During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Byrnihat was designated as one of the entry points for transportation of goods from Assam into Meghalaya, to prevent the spread of COVID from Assam to Meghalaya.[9][10] In July of 2020, the government of Meghalaya moved the entry point at Byrnihat to another location, after facing pressure from the government of Assam.[11]

A specialized ginger processing plant was opened at the Export Promotion Industrial Park in the town in 2021.[12] A health centre was set up in Byrnihat in June of the year to serve people with a mild case of COVID of the Ri-Bhoi district.[13]

Byrnihat and nearby areas experienced heavy rain in May 2022. The rains made it difficult to work on the roads. A minor died and 2 others were injured after a large tree fell on an auto-rickshaw due to the heavy rains.[14]

The Assam-based Hindu organization Kutumba Surakshya Parishad scheduled protests against the banning of Hindu rituals in the Mawjymbuin Cave on December 24, 2024, one of them allegedly including blocking the Meghalaya-Assam Highway in the Byrnihat area.[15] These were banned by the administration of the Ri-Bhoi district to maintain tranquility before Christmas celebrations.[16]

It was proposed in 2024 that over 130 acres of forest land at Byrnihat be converted to a new industrial estate,[17][18] which has raised concerns about the projects environmental impact.[19] The Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma, stated that the land is not a recorded forest land and that the proposal will only move forward if the locals are comfortable with it.[18][19]

Railway projects

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Geography

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Byrnihat is located at a low altitude,[20] at 66 metres above sea level.[1] It has a high annual temperature compared to Shillong.[20]

Economy

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An Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP)[a] was built at Byrnihat by the government.[21] It is located adjacent to the Umtrew river, and spans 256 acres.[22] The project provides firms that settle there with infrastructure and financial incentives such as subsidies and tax holidays, to attract investors into the region.[21] It is partially in Meghalaya and partially in Assam.[23]

The town has a weekly market which operates every Friday.[24]

Pollution

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Pollution is a major problem in Byrnihat. In 2024, the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), a non-profit think tank, reported that Byrnihat was India's most polluted city in 2023, having an annual average PM10 concentration of 301 micrograms per cubic metre.[25][26] In 2025, IQAir, a Swiss air technology company,[27] ranked the town as the most polluted city in the world in 2024, with a PM2.5 concentration of 128.2 microgram per cubic metre that year.[28] Its particulate matter concentration surpassed places more well known for pollution problems, such as Delhi, in both years.[26][27] The National Clean Air Programme includes Byrnihat in its list of non-attainment cities, a list of the most polluted cities of India.[29] Its air pollution has reportedly caused health problems such as respiratory issues, eye irritation, skin rashes, tuberculosis, and cancer. The pollution has also been reported to damage crops and water sources.[30][31] The number of respiratory infection cases in the region rose by 76.8% from 2022 to 2024, from 2,082 to 3,681.[31] The town's groundwater is contaminated with heavy metals, such as cadmium, chromium, and lead, at levels which exceed limits set by the Bureau of Indian Standards and the World Health Organization, according to two 2024 studies.[32][22]

Byrnihat's pollution has been attributed to the industrial activities in the area, emissions of vehicles moving through the Meghalaya-Assam border, construction,[23][33][34] The town has been said to have a "bowl-shaped topography" which prevents pollutants from leaving the area.[31] The Byrnihat Industries Association has contested the culpability of Byrnihat's industries in pollution of the town.[35]

(response from dept. cm 2024 and cm 2025)
After the Central Pollution Control Board recorded Byrnihat as the most polluted settlement in India on October 25, 2023,[36] the Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Prestone Tynsong, stated that Byrnihat's factories are "well monitored by the MSPCB" and are fewer in number compared to the part of Assam bordering Byrnihat.[34] After IQAir's report was released in 2025, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma, challenged IQAir's report by saying that MSPCB found Byrnihat's PM2.5 concentration in 2024 to be 50.1 micrograms per cubic metre. He also stated that Assam's part of the Byrnihat area may be a major contributor to the pollution, as it has 20 industries with a high pollution potential, while Byrnihat has only 5. He also called for a join effort between Assam and Meghalaya on the issue.[37][38]

(government action)
In February 2022, factories at the Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP) were inspected by local MLA Sosthenes Sohtun and MDC Victor Rani after residents and village leaders from the Byrnihat area complained about pollution from those factories.[39] The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) inspected ten industrial units in the town on 3rd September, 2024, six of which were found to not comply with pollution regulations and were issued closure notices.[40]

Byrnihat's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded as 126 in November of 2015, which is moderate.[41]

It had an AQI of 338 on 30th November, 2023, ranking among the most polluted places in India.[42] Out of 277 days of 2023 analysed, Byrnihat experienced bad air quality in 67.51% of them.[43] It ranked as the most polluted city of India during 2023 in a report by the thinktank Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).[44]

Byrnihat was found to be the most polluted city in India in August 2024, in a report by the CREA.[45]

See also

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Notes

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ Although the cited BBC article calls it an 'Export Promotion Industrial Project', all other sources call it an 'Export Promotion Industrial Park'.

References

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  1. ^ a b c ACTION PLAN FOR CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION IN NON-ATTAINMENT TOWNS (PDF), Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board, p. 1, archived (PDF) from the original on 3 July 2024, retrieved 22 April 2025
  2. ^ "Census of India 2011 – Meghalaya – Series 18 – Part XII B – District Census Handbook – Ri Bhoi – Village and Town Wise Primary Census Abstract (PCA)" (PDF). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India Ministry of Home Affairs, Goverment of India. Directorate of Census Operations MEGHALAYA. 2011. p. 60. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  3. ^ "Ri Bhoi District". Ri Bhoi District. Nongpoh: Government of Meghalaya. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  4. ^ "Locate Post Office". India Post. Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, Government of India. 22 April 2025. Archived from the original on 23 April 2025. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  5. ^ "Villages". Ri Bhoi District. Government of Meghalaya. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  6. ^ "Meghalaya's Byrnihat overtakes Delhi as most polluted urban centre in India". Northeast News. Shillong. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  7. ^ "Govt fails to stem timber smuggling". The Telegraph. Shillong. 21 November 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  8. ^ "Meeting on bamboo development held at Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre, Byrnihat". The Sentinel. Guwahati. 25 January 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  9. ^ "Meghalaya on border alert". The Telegraph. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  10. ^ Lyngdoh, Andrew W. (19 March 2020). "Coronavirus screening of visitors at Byrnihat". The Telegraph. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  11. ^ "Meghalaya succumbs to Assam's pressure: Entry point at Byrnihat will be shifted to another location". Northeast Now. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  12. ^ "Meghalaya: Northeast's first-ever specialised ginger processing plant at Ri-Bhoi to be functional in 2021". Northeast Now. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  13. ^ "Jirang MLA sets up Corona Care Centre at Byrnihat". Highland Post. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  14. ^ "Heavy rains lash Meghalaya; minor dead in Ri Bhoi district". Nagaland Post. Press Trust of India. 14 May 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  15. ^ "Mawjymbuin Cave row: East Khasi Hills DC invites Hindu group for discussions on Jan 5". The Assam Tribune. Shillong. 24 December 2025. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  16. ^ "Meghalaya's Ri Bhoi Administration Bans Assam Hindu Body From Protesting In Byrnihat And Khanapara". The Sentinel. Shillong. 24 December 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  17. ^ "Govt to set up new industrial estate in Byrnihat". Highland Post. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  18. ^ a b Das, Manosh (6 March 2025). "No conversion of 'forest land' for industry at Byrnihat: CM". The Times of India. Shillong. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  19. ^ a b "Conrad reassures Meghalaya Investment Promotion Agency won't bypass Land Transfer Act". Shillong Today. Shillong. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  20. ^ a b Ranhotra, Harmit S.; Sharma, R. (10 February 2010). "Moderately high altitude habitation modulates lipid profile and alkaline phosphatase activity in aged Khasis of Meghalaya". Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry. 25. Springer Nature: 51–56. doi:10.1007/s12291-010-0011-4. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  21. ^ a b Irani, Delnaaz (7 February 2010). "Poverty and power in one of India's poorest areas". BBC. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  22. ^ a b Jaishi, Hari Prasad; Mahanta, Bishal; Ali, Innos; Baishya, Kongkon; Roy, Dhruba Kumar; Sarma, Manjit (30 July 2024). "Evaluation of ground water quality using heavy metal pollution indices and estimation of health risk". International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry. Taylor & Francis: 1–23. doi:10.1080/03067319.2024.2382365. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  23. ^ a b "Byrnihat Residents Grapple With Health Issues Caused by Air Pollution: Report". The Wire. 23 April 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  24. ^ Purkayastha, Nabarun. "Weekly market: A study on Byrnihat market in Ri-Bhoi District of Meghalaya" (PDF). University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  25. ^ Kalita, Kangkan; Pati, Ipsita (30 September 2024). "India's choking beyond Delhi: Byrnihat shows we have a big unnoticed pollution problem". The Times of India. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  26. ^ a b "Meghalaya's Byrnihat India's Most Polluted City In 2023: Report". NDTV. Press Trust of India. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  27. ^ a b "Where in India is Byrnihat, the world's most polluted city". The Times of India. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  28. ^ Gupta, Cherry (13 March 2025). "Top 10 most polluted Indian cities (2024-25): Delhi tops the list, Byrnihat ranked worst globally". The Indian Express. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  29. ^ "City Dashboard". Portal for Regulation of Air Pollution in Non-Attainment Cities (Central Pollution Control Board). Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  30. ^ Kashyap, Saraswat (14 March 2025). "This Meghalaya city topped list of world's most polluted cities in 2024". India Today. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  31. ^ a b c Agarwala, Tora (21 April 2025). "Indians battle respiratory issues, skin rashes in world's most polluted town". Reuters. Byrnihat. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  32. ^ Borgohain, Devashree; Lanong, Shaneem; Jaishi, Hari Prasad (28 March 2024). "Heavy metal contamination and health risks in ground water at Byrnihat industrial area: urgent need for remediation and public health safeguards". Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy. 90. Springer Nature: 931–942. doi:10.1007/s43538-024-00273-2. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  33. ^ "Why Meghalaya's Byrnihat has the most polluted air in the world". India Today. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  34. ^ a b "Meghalaya's Byrnihat overtakes Delhi as most polluted urban centre in India". Northeast News. Shillong. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  35. ^ "Byrnihat: Call for study on 'actual' sources of pollution". The Shillong Times. Shillong. 19 March 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  36. ^ "Byrnihat tagged as most polluted area in India; Dy CM blames factories on Assam side". Hub News. Shillong. 26 October 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  37. ^ "Assam major source of pollution in Byrnihat: Meghalaya CM". The Hindu. Guwahati. 13 March 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  38. ^ Karmakar, Sumir. "Meghalaya govt contradicts Swiss report, says Byrnihat's air quality index is satisfactory". Deccan Herald. Guwahati. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
  39. ^ "Local legislator, others inspect factories in Byrnihat area". The Shillong Times. Nongpoh. 16 February 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  40. ^ "Meghalaya shuts down 6 Byrnihat industrial units for flouting environmental norms". The Assam Tribune. Guwahati. 4 September 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  41. ^ Lyngdoh, Andrew W. (15 December 2015). "Good air quality in Shillong residential areas". The Telegraph. Shillong. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  42. ^ Naaz, Fareha (30 November 2023). "Top 10 most polluted cities across India with worst AQI levels; Where does Delhi stand? Full list here". Mint. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  43. ^ "Byrnihat Near Guwahati Recorded Most Bad AQI Days: Report". The Sentinel. Guwahati. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  44. ^ "Not Delhi, Meghalaya's Byrnihat Is India's Most Polluted City In 2023: Report". NDTV. New Delhi. Press Trust of India. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  45. ^ Choubey, Jitendra (5 September 2024). "Surplus rainfall in August kept air quality of Indian cities clean". The New Indian Express. Delhi. Retrieved 28 April 2025.


Sources for later additions

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(Delete this after the draft is complete)

Railway

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Pollution

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