Toxic fumes from brick kiln damage paddy

Full grown paddies on nearly 100 acres of land have been damaged by the toxic gas emitted from a brick kiln in Chirirbandar upazila of the district.

According to the locals, a brick field named MSB Brick Field was set up at Dakkhin Nasratpur village in Chirirbandar upazila of Dinajpur four year ago. Since then, the brick kiln, which belongs to Md Mostafizur Rahman, has been emitting toxic gas.

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Recently, the farmers of the area noticed that their paddy fields were burnt, and the yield of paddy had dropped significantly.

Kalachan, a farmer of the village, said he cultivated paddy on one bigha of land this year. But the paddy was damaged because of the toxic gas. Crop production is affected every year, but this year the situation is more critical, he added.

Toroni Kanto, another farmer, said nearly 10 tonnes of paddy have been damaged by the toxic gas. It has also affected production of other crops like mango, lytchee, and vegetables.

"Every year I sell mango, but this year I noticed that most mangoes had rotted on the trees because of the gas, which is sometimes difficult to inhale," said Kamala Kanta Roy of the same village.

Contacted, Biplob Kumar Mohanta, an official in the Department of Agriculture Extension in Chirirbandar upazila, said he had visited the place recently. "The crops and seasonal fruits were damaged by the gas emitted by the brick field," he said, adding that the affected area covers100 acres approximately.

The official said he has informed his superior about the bad effect of the brick field.