GUWAHATI: The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) has given a clean chit to M/s Umiam Distillation Pvt. Ltd., an ethanol and distillery unit located at the Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP) in Byrnihat, after a surprise inspection found no violation of prescribed emission standards, dismissing concerns raised through social media over alleged pollution from the facility.
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The inspection was carried out on June 29 after posts on social media claimed the unit was contributing to pollution in the industrial town. Acting suo motu, the MSPCB deputed a task force to inspect the plant without waiting for a formal complaint, reflecting the board's proactive approach to environmental enforcement.
During the inspection, officials monitored key emission parameters including particulate matter (PM), stack velocity, differential pressure, and temperature. According to the board, the PM concentration recorded at the unit was well within the limits specified under its Consent to Operate (CTO).
The plant's pollution-control systems were also found to be functioning properly. These include an Electrostatic Precipitator for the captive power plant and a Multi-Effect Evaporator integrated with a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system for the distillery. Raw and treated effluent samples were collected for laboratory testing, and officials confirmed that treated water was being reused through the cooling tower, indicating responsible water management practices at the facility.
However, while talking to GPlus, a senior MSPCB official flagged concern over the selective nature of the social media campaign. "The posts targeted a specific industry. Industrial activities on both sides of the state border contribute to pollution. Journalists who targeted one industry without any proper verification, must equally raise their voice against every industry on both sides of the Meghalaya-Assam border, instead of being biased," the official said, calling for fair and consistent media scrutiny across all polluting units in the region.
Byrnihat, located along the Meghalaya-Assam border, was ranked the world's most polluted metropolitan area in the 2024 World Air Quality Report published by IQAir. Following the report, the Meghalaya government intensified enforcement against polluting industries, shutting down several non-compliant red-category units and expanding ambient air quality monitoring.
Byrnihat remains identified as a non-attainment town under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and continues to be under continuous surveillance. The MSPCB assured that monitoring and enforcement would continue unabated while addressing public health concerns across the region.