Shillong: The Meghalaya Health Department has not received any formal complaint regarding an ethanol factory in Byrnihat and will act only if there is evidence showing an impact on public health, Health Minister Wailadmiki Shylla said on Monday.
Addressing concerns linked to pollution in the Ri-Bhoi district area, Shylla said the department became aware of the matter through social media and had not received any written complaint to initiate further action, The Meghalayan Express reported.
He said a formal representation is required before the department can begin an investigation and added that any public health survey would depend on either a written complaint or credible evidence connecting pollution to health-related concerns.
According to the minister, no individual or organisation has so far approached the department with an official complaint.
Shylla acknowledged that pollution in Byrnihat has remained a long-standing concern and noted that the issue had previously attracted attention at the national level.
He said determining responsibility remains challenging because Byrnihat lies along the Meghalaya–Assam border and there continues to be debate over the source of pollution, with many industrial units believed to be located on the Assam side.
At the same time, he stressed that pollution affects both states regardless of where it originates.
The minister said the matter had already been raised by the state government and recalled that the Chief Minister had earlier assured discussions with authorities in Assam to explore ways to reduce pollution levels.
Shylla also pointed to recent recognition received by the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board for its work in addressing pollution concerns in Byrnihat, saying it reflected the government’s awareness and continued attention to the issue.
On the specific ethanol unit being discussed, the minister said he did not have complete information and had only recently become aware of the matter. Since the issue does not fall directly under his department, he said it would not be appropriate to comment without verified details.
He added that given Byrnihat’s border location, the unit in question could be situated either in Meghalaya or Assam.
