Shillong: The Meghalaya High Court has demanded immediate action to combat spiking pollution levels and waste mismanagement in Byrnihat. Respiratory infection cases surged from 1,800 in 2021 to 7,284 in 2025. Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh issued the order following a site inspection report from Amicus Curiae Philemon Nongbri.
Heavy trucks use an unpaved, four-kilometer road to access the EPIP zone, kicking up massive dust clouds that spike PM10 levels. Inspectors found the Umtrew River site near the highway bridge "shockingly deplorable," noting household trash and cattle scavenging amid the refuse. A large ethanol plant sits directly on the riverbanks while factories in Assam pump smoke into residential areas of Meghalaya.
The Court ordered a new committee led by the Ri-Bhoi Deputy Commissioner to enforce waste rules and clear the river bridge dump. Authorities must also resurface the industrial access road and finish the under-construction Community Health Centre. The state must report on local cancer rates, and the MSPCB will track industrial compliance.
The MSPCB recently shuttered M/s Umiam Distillation Private Limited and targeted five other firms for improper effluent discharge. Meanwhile, the local Primary Health Centre remains overwhelmed. It functions out of a cramped tin-roofed building where four doctors share three rooms. With only six beds available, isolation is impossible for contagious patients. Recent data shows that 273 of 410 patients receiving chest X-rays between April 2025 and June 2026 showed abnormalities.
The Court impleaded the National Highways Authority of India, the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, and the Deputy Commissioner as respondents. The case returns to court on September 10, 2026.
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