People protest over ‘illegal operations’ in industrial unit in Meghalaya’s pollution-hit Byrnihat

Residents of Lower Balian in the pollution-hit Byrnihat area of Meghalaya on Wednesday protested outside an industrial unit, and locked its premises over alleged illegal operations and adding to pollution woes.

Byrnihat, located along the Assam-Meghalaya interstate border, in recent national air quality assessments, has been ranked as India’s most polluted town, with PM2.5 levels far exceeding permissible limits, and industrial emissions cited as a key factor behind the deteriorating air quality.

The residents targeted a ferro alloy company’s premises, alleging that the unit has been operating illegally without valid documents while exposing the locality to severe air pollution and dust emissions.