Breathless In Byrnihat: An Indian Town’s Struggle Against Year-Round Pollution

Representational image.

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – Amid the rolling hills and verdant landscapes of northeastern India, the industrial town of Byrnihat is gasping for air.

Once better known for its natural beauty, Byrnihat has become a cautionary tale of unchecked industrialization. In 2024, the town recorded an average PM2.5 concentration of 128.2 micrograms per cubic meter, according to IQAir—over 25 times higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended limit. PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter that, when inhaled, can lodge deep in the lungs, causing respiratory and cardiac ailments.

Government data, studied by Reuters, reflects the growing toll on public health. Cases of respiratory infections in the region surged from 2,082 in 2022 to 3,681 in 2024. Residents have also reported skin rashes, eye irritation, and damage to crops. Even routine tasks like drying laundry outdoors have become difficult under the town’s thickening smog.

Byrnihat’s plight is emblematic of a broader trend in India, where pollution is no longer confined to major cities like Delhi. Experts told Reuters smaller towns, too, are suffering as rapid industrial expansion outpaces environmental safeguards.

Unlike much of the country, which experiences seasonal spikes in pollution during the winter, Byrnihat’s air quality remains consistently poor year-round. The town, home to around 80 industries—many of them classified as highly polluting—is particularly vulnerable due to heavy vehicular emissions and its bowl-shaped topography, which traps pollutants close to the ground.

Following the release of the IQAir report in March, officials from Assam and Meghalaya announced plans to form a joint committee to tackle the pollution crisis collaboratively.

For Byrnihat’s residents, it may be the first step toward breathing easier.