Brick kilns burn firewood, destroying CHT forest
A section of brick kiln owners continue burning bricks with firewood and using chimney with less than minimum permissible height defying government rules. The photo was taken from Batchhari in Khagrachhari Sadar upazila.Photo: STAR
A number of brick kilns in the hill district are burning huge quantity of firewood a day destroying the natural forest. They have also set up 25-feet tin chimneys in place of 120-feet ones, defying government rules. The situation has become a serious threat to environment and biodiversity while the people in the neighbouring areas face health hazards. During a visit to Three Star Brick Field set up at Batchhari village under Sadar upazila, this correspondent found that timbers are also being used indiscriminately in the brickfield instead of coal. Moreover, it has set up 25-feet tin chimneys defying the rule for mandatory 120-feet permanent chimneys. Smoke was billowing out of the chimneys polluting the environment of the area. Talking to this correspondent, Gopal Das, a worker of the brickfield said, at least 10 thousand maunds of firewood are required to complete one round of brick burning. Most brickfields burn bricks eight times a year, he said adding, all using firewood from natural and reserve forests as there is no other major source to meet the demand. According to this estimate, at least 80 thousand maunds of firewood are required at each brickfield a year. Contacted, owner of the brickfield Suvha Mongal Chakma said, if they use oil, the production cost would shoot up in this remote area. He, however, he avoided the question regarding use of short tin chimneys. Villagers living near the brickfields, especially children and elderly people, are often affected with various diseases including bronchitis and asthma due to environmental pollution. Fertility of farm land around the brickfield where we cultivate crops and vegetables are also going down, alleged Tripura Chakma, a villager. Convener of Khagrachhari Poribesh Rakkha Andolan, Prodip Chowdhuary said, at least 25 to 30 brick kilns are continuing this ill practice as the environmental laws are hardly applied in the district. Zahurul Alam, divisional forest officer (DFO), Khagrachhari said, they decided to set up a mobile court to conduct drives at brickfields soon during a meeting with Khagrachhari deputy collector (DC).
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