Mushrooming brick kilns pose health hazard
A brick kiln, set up near a primary school at Tallabaria village in Mohammadpur upazila of Magura, poses health risks to local people and is an environmental threat in the area.Photo: STAR
Brick kilns set up in and around human habitations pose health hazard and environmental threat to people in several areas of the district. Defying environmental laws, a section of influential people have been operating the kilns near schools, in densely populated areas and on crop lands. According to sources in the deputy commissioner's office, there are some 50 licensed brick kilns in the district. Of those, only five to six have followed environmental laws while setting up the kilns, sources said. According to the Brick Burning (Control) Act, 1989, setting up of brick kilns in municipalities and residential areas and near fruit orchards or occupying cropland is prohibited. Despite the law, burning of bricks has been going on even four to five yards away from a primary school at Tollabari village in Mohammadpur upazila, posing serious health hazard to the children. “We have protested the setting up of a brick kiln adjacent to our school,” said Saifur Rahman, a teacher of Tallabaria Registered Primary School, adding “we have also requested the owner of the kiln to shift it from the place.” Locals alleged that despite lodging a complaint, the local administration did not take any action against the brick kiln owners. When contacted, Mohammadpur upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) Shamsuddoza said he was in favour of proper action against any wrongdoing. He, however, expressed his ignorance about the brick kiln adjacent to the school. At least six brick kilns, including that of the general secretary of the district Brick Kiln Owners' Association (BKOA), have been operating in different parts of Magura municipality. Setting up of more brick kilns, such as the MRB Brick Field, have begun in densely populated Kashinathpur village under the municipal area. Talking to this correspondent, Baharul Islam, one of the owners of the brick field, claimed that the kiln would not pollute the environment as it will follow modern technology. Replying to another question regarding the setting up of the kiln in a municipal area, Baharul said it was not always possible to abide by all the rules. Failing to stop the setting up of the kilns, local residents recently submitted a written complaint to the Khulna divisional environment directorate. KM Shahabuddin, additional deputy commissioner, Magura, and convener of the licensing authority in the district, said that a move was on to launch a drive against the kilns. “We have already formed a mobile court led by a magistrate to go for action against the unlicensed and unlawful operators of the brick kilns”, he said. According to the law, every licensed kiln must have permanent chimneys of at least 125 feet. But around 15 brick kilns are still burning bricks using temporary chimneys lower than the prescribed height, sources said.
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