Assam: Awareness campaign on brick kilns organized in Boko

A Correspondent

Boko: The Pollution Control Board Assam (PCBA) and Kamrup District administration jointly organized an awareness camp about brick kilns and the recent government’s new laws for the establishment of brick kilns at Chamaria Satra premises under Chamaria Revenue Circle in Boko on Saturday. People from various villages under the Chamaria Revenue Circle took part in the awareness meet. However, the member secretary of the PCBA, Dr. Shantanu Dutta, said that the awareness meet has been organized after they received a written complaint against the establishment of brick kilns near the Satra, Kalahi River, and paddy fields. Therefore, PCBA and administration jointly drove the awareness camp and also held public hearings regarding the matter.

The chairman of PCB, Dr. Arup Kr. Misra, emphasized that after February 2025, no illegal brick kilns or “Banglabhata” brick kilns will be allowed to operate in the state. The Government of India has issued new procedures and guidelines for brick quarries to be followed by all brick manufacturers in the state to curb the increasing pollution. 

The member secretary of the PCBA, Dr. Shantanu Dutta, elaborated about the new government notification of 2022: all new brick kilns shall be allowed only with “zig-zag” technology, a vertical shaft, or the use of piped natural gas as fuel in brick making. On the other hand, the existing brick kilns that are not following zig-zag technology or vertical shaft in brick making within a period of (a) one year in the case of kilns located within a ten-kilometre radius of non-attainment cities as defined by the Central Pollution Control Board and (b) two years for other areas. Brick kilns shall construct permanent facilities (port hole and platform) as per the norms or design laid down by the Central Pollution Control Board for monitoring emissions.

Dutta also added about distances to establish brick kilns, saying that brick kilns should be established at a minimum distance of 0.8 kilometres from habitation and fruit.  State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees may make sitting criteria stringent considering proximity to habitation, population density, water bodies, sensitive receptors, etc. Brick kilns should be established at a minimum distance of one kilometre from an existing brick kiln to avoid clustering of kilns in an area.

Meanwhile, anonymous people of the Chamaria Satra area react that we will never accept the brick kilns near the Chamaria Satra. Because the satra is not only for preaching religion, thousands of people come to visit it every year and it has become a tourist destination. There are many places to establish a brick kiln except the Chamaria Satra area.

Also read: 8 unauthorized brick kilns sealed in Darrang by DC Munindra Nath Ngatey (sentinelassam.com)

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