Brick kiln gives short shrift to DoE
This brick kiln at Aminpur village in Bera upazila under Pabna district has continued illegal operations with banned drum chimney, wreaking havoc on the surrounding farmlands, even after a closure order by the Department of Environment.Photo: STAR
A brick kiln at Aminpur village in Bera upazila of Pabna continues to flout environmental laws, causing serious pollution to environment as well as affecting agriculture. Though the Department of Environment (DoE) in December last year asked the owners to close this brick kiln, they are still running it, using banned drum chimney. According to the rules, a brick kiln must have a concrete chimney with a height of 120 feet, but the owners of the kiln have raised a drum chimney to a height of only 30 feet, creating an adverse impact on environment and also affecting nearby cropland. Talking to this correspondent, owners of the kiln said they are now burning bricks on trial basis. “After setting a concrete chimney, the kiln will go into full operation with a target of making 10 lakh bricks,” said Md Jamil Miah, one of the three owners. Kanok Mirza, another partner, said the brick field has been set up on about four acres of land at the village. “We have chosen the land as it is not fertile,” he said. While visiting the area recently, the correspondent found paddy on nearby field has turned yellow as streams of black smoke coming out of the chimney pollute the atmosphere. The authorities concerned will take necessary steps against the brick field owners if they run their business without licence and also violating environmental rules, said Mostafizur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Pabna. He said necessary action will be taken against the brick kiln owners as they are running it, defying an order of the Department of Environment. The brick kiln owners said they have already submitted an application to the district administration for license.
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