Byrnihat’s Smoke, Delhi’s Alerts: Who’s Responsible for the Air We Breathe?

India’s air pollution crisis today presents two starkly different but deeply connected realities. On one hand stands Byrnihat, an industrial town on the Assam–Meghalaya border identified as the world’s most polluted city in 2024, reflecting long-term regulatory and enforcement gaps.

On the other is Delhi, where air quality has once again plunged into the “Severe Plus” category, triggering emergency measures under GRAP-IV. Together, the two cases highlight how air pollution in India is being managed through reaction rather than prevention.

Byrnihat recorded an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 128.2 micrograms per cubic metre, the highest in the world in 2024. According to IQAir’s latest World Air Quality Report, India ranked as the fifth most polluted country globally, with six Indian cities among the world’s ten most polluted cities and 13 Indian cities among the top 20 most polluted cities worldwide. The data also revealed that nearly 35 per cent of Indian cities recorded annual PM2.5 levels more than ten times higher than the limits prescribed by the World Health Organization.

Byrnihat’s pollution problem is not isolated. The town is located just 25 kilometres from Guwahati and 65 kilometres from Shillong, making its air quality a regional concern. The rapid mushrooming of over 40 industrial units, including sponge iron plants, cement factories and coke processing units, has severely impacted the environment. Despite the severity of the situation, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma stated that pollution levels were not high on the Meghalaya side and attributed the problem primarily to the Assam side. Meanwhile, what concrete steps the Assam government has taken to address pollution in Byrnihat remains unclear, raising questions about regulatory accountability.

In contrast to Byrnihat’s chronic pollution, Delhi’s air crisis unfolds as a recurring seasonal emergency. According to a report by The Times of India (TNN), Delhi recorded its worst air quality of the year, with a 24-hour average AQI of 431. Subsequent readings crossed 450, pushing the city into the “Severe Plus” category. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) attributed the rapid deterioration to unfavourable meteorological conditions, including low wind speed and the accumulation of pollutants.

As pollution levels worsened, authorities first imposed GRAP Stage III measures, followed by the enforcement of GRAP Stage IV. Under GRAP-IV, schools across Delhi—including government, government-aided and private institutions, as well as those run by NDMC, MCD and the Delhi Cantonment Board—shifted to a hybrid mode of learning for students of Classes I to IX and Class XI. As per the Directorate of Education’s directive, schools must allow a combination of physical and online classes wherever feasible, while Classes X and XII have been exempted due to board examinations.

Delhi’s emergency response has also extended beyond classrooms. The Delhi government directed that no more than 50 per cent of employees in government and private offices should attend work physically, with the remaining staff instructed to work from home. Additionally, construction and demolition activities were banned, the entry of non-essential trucks was restricted, and BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles were prohibited. Essential services, including hospitals, public transport and utilities, were exempted.

Authorities also issued health advisories, urging children, senior citizens and individuals with chronic illnesses to avoid outdoor activities until air quality improves. All stages of GRAP remain in force across the Delhi-NCR, with enforcement agencies instructed to ensure strict compliance until further orders.

While Delhi’s response demonstrates the ability to activate emergency controls once pollution reaches critical levels, Byrnihat’s situation highlights the absence of such decisive action despite year-round exposure to hazardous air. The contrast is striking: Delhi reacts when AQI crosses 450, while Byrnihat lives with PM2.5 levels of 128.2 micrograms per cubic metre annually.

The comparison also underscores a broader national concern. With 35 per cent of Indian cities exceeding WHO PM2.5 limits by more than ten times, air pollution has evolved into a persistent public health emergency rather than a temporary environmental issue. From industrial clusters like Byrnihat to megacities like Delhi, the crisis reveals gaps in regulation, enforcement and long-term planning.

India’s air pollution challenge, as illustrated by Byrnihat and Delhi, is no longer about isolated hotspots. It is about a systemic failure where emergency measures substitute for structural reform, and where regulatory clarity often ends at state borders. Until preventive policies match emergency responses, both chronic pollution zones and seasonal crisis cities will continue to share the same air—and the same consequences.

Also Read: Delhi Blanketed in Toxic Smog as AQI Hits Severe Levels; GRAP-4 Restrictions Enforced