Reining in illegal brick kilns needed

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE RELEVANT AUTHORITIES TO TAKE STRINGENT MEASURES AGAINST THE ERRANT BRICK KILN OWNERS

It is disturbing to note that owners of dozens of illegal brick kilns, set up in arable land near schools and colleges in Bogura, have formed a powerful clique who are removing the fertile topsoil for making bricks, rendering the fields unusable for agriculture. The brick kilns are also taking away fertility of arable lands. Nobody dares speak against the practice of cutting topsoil as the brick kiln owners are working in collusion with a local syndicate and the administration.

The brick kilns, mostly sprung up on agricultural land, use topsoil from arable land and soil from the river banks to make bricks. The brick factories are destroying the environment, agricultural land and woods under the nose of the local administrations. These brick factories are burning tons of firewood every day, causing air pollution and health hazards.

The Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kilns Establishment (Control) Act 2013 prohibits operating brick kilns without licenses. It also forbids using soil from cropland and hills for making bricks. One must secure permission for sourcing soil from canals, ponds, river banks or char areas. Besides, brick kilns need to have environment-friendly long chimneys with heights between 120-130 feet and are permitted to use coal for fire. But the owners of these brick kilns are running their business illegally threatening the ecosystem in the absence of monitoring.

The brick kilns, set up by unscrupulous people defying the existing law of the land, are exposing the people living in those areas to serious health hazards on the one hand and contributing to destruction of the country’s forest resources on the other. Most of the owners of brick kilns have been running their business without licences and are using firewood instead of coal and gas for burning bricks disregarding the government ban and environmental rules.   

  These brick kilns are spreading poison in the air and the people living nearby are bearing the brunt of the menace.  Needy and gullible people in rural areas are selling their valuable trees not knowing its adverse impact on the environment. Manufacturing of bricks is required for the development of the country. At the same time, issue of safe environment should not also take a back seat.  It is the responsibility of the relevant authorities to take stringent measures against the errant brick kiln owners.       

 

 

 

Reining in illegal brick kilns needed

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE RELEVANT AUTHORITIES TO TAKE STRINGENT MEASURES AGAINST THE ERRANT BRICK KILN OWNERS

It is disturbing to note that owners of dozens of illegal brick kilns, set up in arable land near schools and colleges in Bogura, have formed a powerful clique who are removing the fertile topsoil for making bricks, rendering the fields unusable for agriculture. The brick kilns are also taking away fertility of arable lands. Nobody dares speak against the practice of cutting topsoil as the brick kiln owners are working in collusion with a local syndicate and the administration. The brick kilns, mostly sprung up on agricultural land, use topsoil from arable land and soil from the river banks to make bricks. The brick factories are destroying the environment, agricultural land and woods under the nose of the local administrations. These brick factories are burning tons of firewood every day, causing air pollution and health hazards. The Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kilns Establishment (Control) Act 2013 prohibits operating brick kilns without licenses. It also forbids using soil from cropland and hills for making bricks. One must secure permission for sourcing soil from canals, ponds, river banks or char areas. Besides, brick kilns need to have environment-friendly long chimneys with heights between 120-130 feet and are permitted to use coal for fire. But the owners of these brick kilns are running their business illegally threatening the ecosystem in the absence of monitoring. The brick kilns, set up by unscrupulous people defying the existing law of the land, are exposing the people living in those areas to serious health hazards on the one hand and contributing to destruction of the countrys forest resources on the other. Most of the owners of brick kilns have been running their business without licences and are using firewood instead of coal and gas for burning bricks disregarding the government ban and environmental rules. These brick kilns are spreading poison in the air and the people living nearby are bearing the brunt of the menace. Needy and gullible people in rural areas are selling their valuable trees not knowing its adverse impact on the environment. Manufacturing of bricks is required for the development of the country. At the same time, issue of safe environment should not also take a back seat. It is the responsibility of the relevant authorities to take stringent measures against the errant brick kiln owners.