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Draft:Byrnihat

Coordinates: 26°03′10″N 91°52′09″E / 26.05277°N 91.86916°E / 26.05277; 91.86916
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Byrnihat
Industrial town
Byrnihat is located in Meghalaya
Byrnihat
Byrnihat
Location in Meghalaya, India
Byrnihat is located in India
Byrnihat
Byrnihat
Byrnihat (India)
Coordinates: 26°03′10″N 91°52′09″E / 26.05277°N 91.86916°E / 26.05277; 91.86916
Country India
StateMeghalaya
DistrictRi-Bhoi
BlockUmling
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total
298
Languages[2]
 • OfficialKhasi
 • RegionalBhoi dialect
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN[3]
793101
Village Code[4]277492

Byrnihat is a town in the Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya, India;[5] located on the Meghalaya–Assam border.[6] The place is an industrial town—its economy is based on the many industries located in the area.

History

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Byrnihat was an intranational border checkpoint as of 1986.[7] Alternative agricultural practices were researched here from 1975 to 1983 to find a viable alternative to shifting cultivation.[8] Indian Express reported in 1992 that according to a case study, 21 plant species had become endangered in the town due to the practice.[9]

During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Byrnihat was designated as one of the entry points for transportation of goods from Assam into Meghalaya, to prevent the spread of COVID from Assam to Meghalaya.[10][11] In July of 2020, the government of Meghalaya moved the entry point at the town to another location, after facing pressure from the government of Assam.[12] Industries based in the Byrnihat industrial area were discovered in April of 2021 to have engaged in power theft.[13] A health centre was set up in the town in June of the year to serve people with a mild case of COVID of the Ri-Bhoi district.[14] Byrnihat experienced heavy rains in May of 2022.[15]

It was proposed in 2024 that over 130 acres of forest land at Byrnihat be converted to a new industrial estate,[16][17] which has raised concerns about the projects environmental impact.[18] The Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma, stated that the land is not a recorded forest land and that the proposal will only move forward if the locals are comfortable with it.[17][18] The Assam-based Hindu organization Kutumba Surakshya Parishad scheduled protests against the banning of Hindu rituals in the Mawjymbuin Cave on December 24 of the year, one of them allegedly including blocking the Meghalaya-Assam Highway in the Byrnihat area.[19] These were banned by the administration of the Ri-Bhoi district to maintain tranquility before Christmas celebrations.[20]

Transportation

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Rail

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Planned railway projects that go to Byrnihat include the Tetelia–Byrnihat line and the Byrnihat–Shillong line. These lines have faced much opposition in Meghalaya from various groups,[21] especially the Khasi Students Union (KSU),[a][b] due to the fear that it would bring "outsiders"[c] into Meghalaya[23][26][22]: 65–66  and turn the indigenous communities into minorities.[26] A line that goes from Azara in Assam to Byrnihat had also been proposed,[27] but was replaced by the Tetelia–Byrnihat line.[28][29] In the 1980s, proposals to establish a railhead at Byrnihat were shelved due to protests by the KSU[30] and arguments by the opposition in the Meghalayan parliament.[31][32]

Road

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National Highway 40 passes through the town.[33]

Geography

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Byrnihat is located at a low altitude,[34] at 66[5] or 100[35] metres above sea level. It has a tropical climate, with an average minimum and maximum temperature of 17.5°C and 28°C, respectively.[36] It has a high annual temperature compared to Shillong.[34] The average rainfall in Byrnihat was 212mm, as of 1992.[36] The Byrnihat area has a hilly terrain.[35] The town's geography affects the kinds of products sold in its weekly market.[37]

The town is in the Umling block of the Ri-Bhoi district, in Meghalaya. It is located on the Guwuhati-Shillong roadways (GS road).[5] It is 90km away from Shillong and 14km away from Guwahati.[38]

Economy

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Byrnihat is an industrial town.[39] It developed into an industrial hub during the late 1990s.[33] It hosts an industrial estate[22]: 163  called the 'Export Promotion Industrial Park',[d] which was built at Byrnihat by the government.[42] It is located adjacent to the Umtrew river, and spans 256 acres, as of 2024.[40] The project provides firms that settle there with infrastructure and financial incentives such as subsidies and tax holidays, to attract investors into the region.[42] It is partially in Meghalaya and partially in Assam.[41] The town has about 80 industries as of 2025.[39][33]

Byrnihat has a weekly market which operates every Friday.[37]

Pollution

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Pollution is a major problem in Byrnihat. In 2024, the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), a non-profit think tank, reported that Byrnihat was India's most polluted city in 2023, having an annual average PM10 concentration of 301 micrograms per cubic metre.[43][44] In 2025, IQAir, a Swiss air technology company,[45] ranked the town as the most polluted city in the world in 2024, with a PM2.5 concentration of 128.2 microgram per cubic metre that year.[46][33][47] Its particulate matter concentration surpassed places more well known for pollution problems, such as Delhi, in both years.[44][45] The National Clean Air Programme includes Byrnihat in its list of non-attainment cities, a list of the most polluted cities of India.[48] Its air pollution has reportedly caused health problems such as respiratory issues, eye irritation, skin rashes, tuberculosis, and cancer. The pollution has also been reported to damage crops and water sources.[49][39] The number of respiratory infection cases in the region rose by 76.8% from 2022 to 2024, from 2,082 to 3,681.[39] The town's groundwater is contaminated with heavy metals, such as cadmium, chromium, and lead, at levels which exceed limits set by the Bureau of Indian Standards and the World Health Organization, according to two 2024 studies.[38][40]

Byrnihat's pollution has been attributed to the industrial activities in the area,[50] emissions of vehicles moving through the Meghalaya-Assam border, construction,[41][51][52] mining,[38] the use of wood as a fuel, burning of solid waste, and resuspension of road dust.[53] The town has been said to have a "bowl-shaped topography" which prevents pollutants from leaving the area.[39][33] The Byrnihat Industries Association has contested the culpability of Byrnihat's industries in pollution of the town.[54]

After the Central Pollution Control Board recorded Byrnihat as the most polluted settlement in India on October 25, 2023, with an Air Quality Index of 302,[55] the Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Prestone Tynsong, stated that Byrnihat's factories are "well monitored by the MSPCB" and are fewer in number compared to the part of Assam bordering Byrnihat.[52] After IQAir's report was released in 2025, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma, challenged IQAir's report by saying that MSPCB found Byrnihat's PM2.5 concentration in 2024 to be 50.1 micrograms per cubic metre. He also stated that Assam's part of the Byrnihat area may be a major contributor to the pollution, as it has 20 industries with a high pollution potential, while Byrnihat has only 5. He also called for a join effort between Assam and Meghalaya on the issue.[56][57]

In February 2022, factories at the Export Promotion Industrial Park were inspected by local authorities following pollution complaints by locals.[58] The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) inspected ten industrial units in the town on 3rd September, 2024, six of which were found to not comply with pollution regulations and were issued closure notices.[59] Six other units were shut down for failure to comply with environmental norms after inspections in January 2025,[60] but this did not result in a significant change in air quality.[33]

Demographics

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The Pollution Control Board of Assam stated in 2020 that the town has a population of 10,000.[35] Deutsche Welle stated in 2025 that it has a population of 50,000.[33] The Byrnihat region is populated by Khasi people who speak the Bhoi dialect of the Khasi language.[62] Residents of Byrnihat are familiar with the Assamese, Bengali, Nepalese and Mikir languages.[63]

Notes

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  1. ^ Karlsson (2011): "...the project has not been able to take off because of opposition, mainly from the KSU..."[22]: 66 
  2. ^ Other groups that oppose the railway projects include the Jaintia Students Union and the Hynñiewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation.[23]
  3. ^ or "illegal immigrants"[24][25]
  4. ^ Although the cited BBC article calls it an 'Export Promotion Industrial Project', all other sources call it an 'Export Promotion Industrial Park'.Examples include:[40][41][5]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Census of India 2011 – Meghalaya – Series 18 – Part XII B – District Census Handbook – Ri Bhoi – Village and Town Wise Primary Census Abstract (PCA)" (PDF). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India Ministry of Home Affairs, Goverment of India. Directorate of Census Operations MEGHALAYA. 2011. p. 60. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  2. ^ "Ri Bhoi District". Ri Bhoi District. Nongpoh: Government of Meghalaya. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  3. ^ "Locate Post Office". India Post. Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, Government of India. 22 April 2025. Archived from the original on 23 April 2025. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  4. ^ "Villages". Ri Bhoi District. Government of Meghalaya. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d ACTION PLAN FOR CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION IN NON-ATTAINMENT TOWNS (PDF) (Report). Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board. p. 1. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 July 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  6. ^ "Meghalaya's Byrnihat overtakes Delhi as most polluted urban centre in India". Northeast News. Shillong. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  7. ^ Banerjie, Indranil (30 June 1986). "Subhash Ghising: Key Figure". India Today. Shillong/Darjeeling: Living Media India.
  8. ^ Prasad, Ram; Shah, Shachi; Venkatramanan, V., eds. (16 November 2020). Exploring Synergies and Trade-offs Between Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals. Springer Nature. p. 130. doi:10.1007/978-981-15-7301-9. ISBN 9789811573019. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  9. ^ Kashyap, Samudra Gupta (26 August 1992). "Tribals refuse to give up jhum". The Indian Express. p. 9. Retrieved 11 July 2025 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ "Meghalaya on border alert". The Telegraph. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  11. ^ Lyngdoh, Andrew W. (19 March 2020). "Coronavirus screening of visitors at Byrnihat". The Telegraph. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  12. ^ "Meghalaya succumbs to Assam's pressure: Entry point at Byrnihat will be shifted to another location". Northeast Now. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  13. ^ "Probe unearths massive power theft at Byrnihat Industrial Area". Shillong: The Assam Tribune. 9 April 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  14. ^ "Jirang MLA sets up Corona Care Centre at Byrnihat". Highland Post. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  15. ^ Laitphlang, David (13 May 2022). "2 killed in Meghalaya as torrential rain lashes parts of Northeast". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
  16. ^ "Govt to set up new industrial estate in Byrnihat". Highland Post. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  17. ^ a b Das, Manosh (6 March 2025). "No conversion of 'forest land' for industry at Byrnihat: CM". The Times of India. Shillong. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  18. ^ a b "Conrad reassures Meghalaya Investment Promotion Agency won't bypass Land Transfer Act". Shillong Today. Shillong. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  19. ^ "Mawjymbuin Cave row: East Khasi Hills DC invites Hindu group for discussions on Jan 5". The Assam Tribune. Shillong. 24 December 2025. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  20. ^ "Meghalaya's Ri Bhoi Administration Bans Assam Hindu Body From Protesting In Byrnihat And Khanapara". The Sentinel. Shillong. 24 December 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  21. ^ "Meghalaya explores railway projects despite resistance". The Statesman. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  22. ^ a b c Karlsson, Bengt G. (2011). Unruly Hills: A Political Ecology of India's Northeast. Berghahn Books. ISBN 9780857451057. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  23. ^ a b "Return 270cr allotted for rail project: Centre to Meghalaya". The Times of India. Shillong. 27 February 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  24. ^ "Railway project in Meghalaya's East Jantia hills still on cards: Dy CM". Northeast Live. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  25. ^ "Byrnihat railway project faces another hurdle". The Shillong Times. 22 August 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  26. ^ a b Baruah, Sukrita (24 March 2025). "Why the Indian Railways is likely to shelve projects in Meghalaya". The Indian Express. Guwahati. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  27. ^ "Protest cloud on rail project - Residents oppose Azara-Byrnihat link". The Telegraph. 25 January 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  28. ^ Das, Pushpita (26 August 2024). India's Approach to Border Management: From Barriers to Bridges. Routledge. p. 213. ISBN 9781032430126. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  29. ^ Singh, Suresh; Roy, Shashi Bhushan (8 July 2021). "Strengthening Railway Networks in Northeast India: A Key Driver to Deepen Sub-regional Connectivity and Trade". p. 10. SSRN 3875295.
  30. ^ "Khasi Frustrations". Economic and Political Weekly. 24 (23). Sameeksha Trust: 1271. 10 June 1989. JSTOR 4394923. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  31. ^ Dev, S. Guru (9 September 1983). "Interview with Chairman of North East Council". The Statesman. Kolkata.
  32. ^ Gupta, Shekhar (30 September 1983). "Meghalaya: Tracking Trouble". India Today. Shillong: Living Media India.
  33. ^ a b c d e f g Sobhan, Shakeel (8 July 2025). "India: How a small town topped global pollution charts". Deutsche Welle. Byrnihat. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  34. ^ a b Ranhotra, Harmit S.; Sharma, R. (10 February 2010). "Moderately high altitude habitation modulates lipid profile and alkaline phosphatase activity in aged Khasis of Meghalaya". Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry. 25. Springer Nature: 52. doi:10.1007/s12291-010-0011-4. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  35. ^ a b c Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Abatement Action Plan Byrnihat Industrial Cluster – Assam (PDF) (Report). Guwahati: Pollution Control Board, Assam. 14 January 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  36. ^ a b Kshattriya, S.; Sharma, G. D.; Mishra, R. R. (March 1992). "Enzyme activities related to litter decomposition in forests of different age and altitude in North East India". Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 24 (3). Pergamon Press: 265. doi:10.1016/0038-0717(92)90228-P. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  37. ^ a b Purkayastha, Nabarun. "Weekly market: A study on Byrnihat market in Ri-Bhoi District of Meghalaya" (PDF). University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  38. ^ a b c Borgohain, Devashree; Lanong, Shaneem; Jaishi, Hari Prasad (28 March 2024). "Heavy metal contamination and health risks in ground water at Byrnihat industrial area: urgent need for remediation and public health safeguards". Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy. 90 (4). Springer Nature: 931–942. doi:10.1007/s43538-024-00273-2. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  39. ^ a b c d e Agarwala, Tora (21 April 2025). "Indians battle respiratory issues, skin rashes in world's most polluted town". Reuters. Byrnihat. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  40. ^ a b c Jaishi, Hari Prasad; Mahanta, Bishal; Ali, Innos; Baishya, Kongkon; Roy, Dhruba Kumar; Sarma, Manjit (30 July 2024). "Evaluation of ground water quality using heavy metal pollution indices and estimation of health risk". International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry. Taylor & Francis: 1–23. doi:10.1080/03067319.2024.2382365. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  41. ^ a b c "Byrnihat Residents Grapple With Health Issues Caused by Air Pollution: Report". The Wire. 23 April 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  42. ^ a b Irani, Delnaaz (7 February 2010). "Poverty and power in one of India's poorest areas". BBC. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  43. ^ Kalita, Kangkan; Pati, Ipsita (30 September 2024). "India's choking beyond Delhi: Byrnihat shows we have a big unnoticed pollution problem". The Times of India. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  44. ^ a b "Meghalaya's Byrnihat India's Most Polluted City In 2023: Report". NDTV. Press Trust of India. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  45. ^ a b "Where in India is Byrnihat, the world's most polluted city". The Times of India. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  46. ^ Arasu, Sibi (11 March 2025). "Majority of the world's population breathes dirty air, report says". Associated Press. Bengaluru. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  47. ^ Gupta, Cherry (13 March 2025). "Top 10 most polluted Indian cities (2024-25): Delhi tops the list, Byrnihat ranked worst globally". The Indian Express. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  48. ^ "City Dashboard". Portal for Regulation of Air Pollution in Non-Attainment Cities (Central Pollution Control Board). Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  49. ^ Kashyap, Saraswat (14 March 2025). "This Meghalaya city topped list of world's most polluted cities in 2024". India Today. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  50. ^ "Hyd air quality down marginally over 5 yrs". Deccan Chronicle. 8 June 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025 – via PressReader.
  51. ^ "Why Meghalaya's Byrnihat has the most polluted air in the world". India Today. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  52. ^ a b "Meghalaya's Byrnihat overtakes Delhi as most polluted urban centre in India". Northeast News. Shillong. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  53. ^ Meghalaya State Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Air Pollution (PDF). Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (Report). Shillong: Forests & Environment Department, Government of Meghalaya. December 2024. pp. 13–14. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  54. ^ "Byrnihat: Call for study on 'actual' sources of pollution". The Shillong Times. Shillong. 19 March 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  55. ^ "Byrnihat tagged as most polluted area in India; Dy CM blames factories on Assam side". Hub News. Shillong. 26 October 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  56. ^ "Assam major source of pollution in Byrnihat: Meghalaya CM". The Hindu. Guwahati. 13 March 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  57. ^ Karmakar, Sumir. "Meghalaya govt contradicts Swiss report, says Byrnihat's air quality index is satisfactory". Deccan Herald. Guwahati. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
  58. ^ "Local legislator, others inspect factories in Byrnihat area". The Shillong Times. Nongpoh. 16 February 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  59. ^ "Meghalaya shuts down 6 Byrnihat industrial units for flouting environmental norms". The Assam Tribune. Guwahati. 4 September 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  60. ^ "Air pollution: Six Byrnihat industrial units shut down". The Shillong Times. Shillong/Nongpoh. 6 February 2025. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
  61. ^ "Primary Census Abstract for Ri Bhoi District of Meghalaya, 2001". data.gov.in. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  62. ^ Dkhar, Gordon D. (January 2018). "Socio-Psychological Aspects of Language Contact: A Case Study of the Khasis in Byrnihat". International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics. 47 (1). Thiruvananthapuram: University of Kerala: 157–186. ISSN 0378-2484. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  63. ^ Dkhar, Gordon D. (9 May 2024). "Navigating Identity: A Study of the Khasis in Meghalaya's Multilingual Borderlands". Indian Journal of Language and Linguistics. 5 (2): 6. doi:10.54392/ijll2421. Retrieved 20 July 2025.


Sources for later additions

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(Delete this after the draft is complete)

Railway

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Pollution

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