Byrnihat: In a significant move following mounting public outcry, the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) has shut down six factories in Byrnihat, Meghalaya, a town recently named the most polluted in India.
The decision comes after protests from residents who have expressed deep concern over the severe air pollution in the area.
The protests, which have intensified in recent days, were driven by allegations that the factories in the industrial zone were the primary culprits behind the worsening air quality.
The local population has been increasingly vocal about the detrimental health effects of the thick black smoke emanating from the industrial chimneys.
Although the names of the six factories that were closed have not yet been made public, it is confirmed that the MSPCB took the decisive step after sustained pressure from the community.
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Officials from the Ri-Bhoi district administration, in collaboration with representatives from the MSPCB, were present at the site during the factory closures.
The heavy smoke from the factories, which has become a common sight in the area, has raised serious health concerns among the local population, with many fearing long-term respiratory problems and other related health issues.
The closure of these factories is seen as an effort to address these growing environmental and health risks and to restore a safer living environment for the residents of Byrnihat.