50 pc brickfields set up in 2002 illegal

The reduction in the air polluting unauthorised brick-fields was attributed to an intensive drive by the Directorate of Environment (DoE).

Authorities had taken drastic action against the illegal establishments during 2003 bringing down the rate of pollution in the air, the DoE sources said.

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Illegal brick-fields had been halved in one year following the drive, the sources said.

Disaster Forum, a voluntary organisation, in a recent report, said almost 50 per cent of the 2684 brick-fields were set up in 2002 without any permission from the authorities concerned creating serious environmental pollution.

The report said the brick-fields are operating without proper permission as owners are influential people. In most of the cases, the owners run a good number of brick-kilns though they have permission for only one.

The number of illegal brick-fields was over 1000 last year which could be reduced to a significant number following the special drive, sources said.

The recent drive was launched following widespread pollution created by the brick-fields. The brick-fields use leather, burned lubricants, tubes and other pollutants as fuels.

The emission of poisonous gas caused deadly diseases like respiratory problem and skin diseases to the inhabitants of the areas.

The report said most of the illegal brick-fields did not use the specified 120 feet chimney. As a result, the poisonous gas spread to the breathing air circulation of the inhabitants of the area, it said.

The DoE was now encouraging the people to use environment-friendly block bricks, manufactured by computerised machines in the country.