Local MLA convenes meeting to address Byrnihat pollution

NONGPOH, Jan 24: In view of Brynihat being branded one of the most polluted urban centres in the country, a meeting was convened by the local MLA Sosthenes Sohtun on Wednesday with government officials at the Inspection Bungalow in Byrnihat to comprehensively address the issue of air pollution.
The crucial meeting was prompted by a report released on January 10, 2024, by the thinktank, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), highlighting Byrnihat as one of the most polluted cities in the country. It recorded the highest annual average PM10 concentration of 301 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023.
Key attendees included Senior Scientist S Swer from the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB), Ri Bhoi Assistant Commissioner Eric Kevin Dkhar, and the MDC of Jirang constituency, Victor Rani.  In his statement to the media, Sohtun conveyed that the primary objective of the meeting is to thoroughly discuss and identify strategies to mitigate air pollution. The focus is on MSPCB’s role in conducting a study on the sources of air pollution. Based on this study, steps can be implemented to minimise air pollution, particularly in an area that hosts factories not only on the Meghalaya side but also on the Assam side of the border.