Shillong: Mounting anger over worsening air quality in Byrnihat spilled onto the streets on Wednesday as residents of Lower Balian locked the premises of an industrial unit, accusing it of operating illegally and aggravating pollution in the area.
Byrnihat, which lies along the Assam–Meghalaya border, has recently topped national air quality rankings as India’s most polluted town, with dangerously high PM2.5 levels.
Industrial activity has repeatedly been flagged as a major contributor to the deteriorating air, making the area a flashpoint for public resentment.
The protest targeted a ferro alloy unit, with residents alleging that the company has been functioning without valid permissions and exposing nearby habitations to severe dust and air pollution.
Villagers from across age groups gathered outside the factory, raising slogans and displaying placards to demand accountability from the management.
According to the protesters, the unit has not obtained a mandatory no-objection certificate from the village authority, particularly for the storage and handling of clinker.
They claimed that when asked to produce clearances from government agencies and the local Dorbar shnong, the company failed to furnish any documents.
Residents also pointed to what they described as deceptive practices, alleging that despite a “Plant Closed” sign displayed at the factory gate, trucks continue to enter the premises daily to transport and stockpile clinker.
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This, they said, has led to persistent dust pollution, affecting daily life and raising health concerns in the locality.
Assistant headman of the village Dorbar, P Pohtam, said the decision to lock the unit was taken after repeated attempts to seek clarification from the management yielded no response.
He said the factory would remain shut until all necessary documents are produced and their legality verified by the village authority.
State officials have previously stated that Meghalaya has initiated action against polluting units within its jurisdiction, while pointing out that several highly polluting industries on the Assam side of Byrnihat continue to impact air quality across the border, pending action by the Assam government.
Efforts to contact representatives of the company for their version of events were unsuccessful.
