The State BJP has expressed concern by the report that ranked Byrnihat as the most polluted place in the world and specified reasons such as weak enforcement, lack of policies and political will.
“This inglorious distinction has come as a rude shock to every environment-conscious citizen of Meghalaya, a state that has always taken pride of place in the nation for its clean and pristine surroundings,” State BJP Chief Spokesperson Mariahom Kharkrang said.
According to a report published by the World Air Quality Report 2024 by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, 13 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are in India, as Byrnihat topped the list.
Besides the specified reasons, Kharkrang also listed, “Haphazard development, ineffective policies, ungoverned economic activities and short sighted plans” that he said, have brought “grave disrepute” to the state.
He urged the State government to take immediate remedial measures, create proper plans formulated by experts and implement them with utmost strictness to address the issue, so future generations do not face serious health issues.
Stating that unplanned development models that only look at economic benefits make a bad situation even worse, Kharkrang termed the plan to turn the Soil Conservation Training Institute at Byrnihat into an industrial complex an “absolute disaster in the making.”
He said the plan will not only make the pollution situation in Byrnihat worse, it will also adversely impact the elephant migration path, leading to potential disruption of an already fragile ecology and certain man animal conflicts with serious consequences.
“While economic activity is a must, the government must be ultra-careful keeping all factors in mind while choosing a spot for any activity. Impulsive decision making only create serious problems and hence the government must take the report seriously and choose an alternate spot for an industrial complex, after thorough study and meticulous planning,” Kharkrang added.
