Two-year-old Sumaiya Ansari from Byrnihat, India’s most polluted metropolitan area, is among the many residents suffering from respiratory issues due to toxic air. The industrial town, straddling the border of Assam and Meghalaya, has PM2.5 levels over 25 times higher than WHO recommendations, leading to an alarming rise in respiratory infections.
In 2024, Byrnihat’s air quality worsened, with residents reporting common ailments such as skin rashes and eye irritation, alongside respiratory problems. Local doctors are seeing a surge in cases, with respiratory infections jumping from 2,082 in 2022 to 3,681 in 2024. Environmentalists blame the region’s heavy industrial activity, vehicle emissions, and its “bowl-shaped topography” for trapping pollutants.
Despite its lush natural beauty, Byrnihat has become a poster child for India’s growing pollution crisis, exacerbated by rapid industrialization and lack of environmental protections. However, following IQAir’s alarming report, Assam and Meghalaya governments are now collaborating to find a solution to the worsening pollution.
Source: Swifteradio.com
