Assam: Illegal Brick Kilns Pose Hazards To Health And Environment

GUWAHATI: A large number of brick kilns in the state are flouting the norms of the Pollution Control Board of Assam (PCBA), posing a hazard to human health as well as the environment. Illegal brick kilns have mushroomed in the state, and the PCBA is now ready to clamp down on them.

Official sources said that there are around 3,000 traditional chimney brick kilns. Of this, only around 1,200 are authorized but the rest have been set up without adhering to government guidelines. The unauthorized brick kilns are causing environmental pollution and health issues among the population in the surrounding areas.

In view of this, the PCBA has now decided not to allow the traditional chimney kilns to operate after February next year. Instead, only those kilns using zigzag technology or vertical shaft kilns and those using natural gas as fuel will be allowed to operate.

According to norms, a brick kiln should be at a minimum distance of 800 to 1000 metres from another. But it is seen that practically no kiln obeys this rule, and brick kilns are often located in clusters or in close proximity to one another.

Sources also said that brick kilns emit carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and carbon monoxide in the form of smoke, fumes, and ash. The firing of tonnes of coal in the kilns not only causes air pollution but also has an adverse impact on vegetation, agriculture, and the workers and people residing in nearby areas who face serious health problems.

According to PCBA norms, brick kilns have to keep a record of their pollution status, but the kilns rarely monitor their emissions. It is also against the rules to locate a brick kiln on agricultural land or in close proximity, but most kilns are located either on agricultural land itself or so close that pollutants from the kilns result in the lands losing their fertility.

Also, the soil or earth used as raw material in the kilns is mostly sourced from agricultural land, causing big holes and making them unfit for cultivation.

But there’s a light on the horizon, as some entrepreneurs are using fly ash to make bricks, which eliminates the pollution problem. The government is also promoting fly ash-based brick kilns to reduce the air pollution issue.

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