By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 5: The state government has shut down seven industrial units operating in Byrnihat for flouting environmental norms.
The government has directed the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) to continue its surprise inspections and take stern actions against the defaulters.
“I want to give a strong message to all industrial units that the state pollution control board is going to conduct surprise checks in many locations on a continuous basis,” Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said in the Assembly on Wednesday replying to a call attention motion brought by Jirang MLA Sosthenes Sohtun on poor air quality in Byrnihat.
The chief minister said he has given a standing order to the pollution board to conduct the surprise checks and take immediate actions if the norms are not being followed. He said the government has set an example by shutting down seven units.
“The government will take firm action against anyone found flouting rules and not following the norms,” Sangma said
He said while the industries are contributing to air pollution, local activities also play a role in it. He said community initiatives will help mitigate the problem.
He said the government and the pollution board will be happy to partner with communities which desire to take steps to minimise pollution.
Stating that the Central Pollution Control Board has identified Byrnihat, Assam as a critically-polluted area, Sangma said the Assam Pollution Control Board has prepared an action plan and adequate measures are being taken to restore and improve the environmental quality of Byrnihat area of Assam.
He, however said data generated from four monitoring stations of MSPCB revealed that the AQI of Byrnihat during January 2025 was satisfactory in three locations and moderate only at the Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP) of Byrnihat, Meghalaya.
The chief minister said the MSPCB’s surprise inspections at the industrial units in EPIP and 13 Mile on January 24, 27 and 31 and February 5 of 2025 revealed violations of pollution norms, including heavy emissions from chimneys due to non-operation of pollution control devices, ineffective pollution control devices and non-transmission of online emission data.