GUWAHATI: Following widespread attention over a viral video report alleging severe pollution around the Byrnihat ethanol plant in Meghalaya, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has released a public clarification disputing claims that the plant is responsible for the visible emissions seen in the area.
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In a post shared on its official social media handles, BPCL stated that the white plume emerging from the ethanol plant's chimney is water vapour produced during the manufacturing process and not smoke. The company labelled claims linking the plant to widespread pollution as "misleading" and maintained that the emissions captured in the viral video do not indicate air pollution from its facility.
The clarification comes after a journalist's ground report from Byrnihat gained significant traction on social media. The video highlighted concerns raised by local residents over worsening environmental conditions, with visuals showing industrial emissions and claims of dust settling across nearby residential areas. The report also questioned the impact of industrial activities on the health of people living in the locality.
Responding to the allegations, BPCL asserted that the pollution concerns circulating online are unrelated to its ethanol plant. The company reiterated that the visible emissions are primarily condensed water vapour, a normal by-product of plant operations, and not smoke or particulate pollution.
The issue has sparked fresh debate over industrial pollution in Byrnihat, an area that has frequently been in the spotlight over air quality concerns. While residents and environmental observers continue to demand greater accountability and investigation into the region's pollution levels, BPCL has denied that its ethanol plant is the source of the emissions highlighted in the viral report.