Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Dec 18: The Sub- Committee on Environment constituted to suggest measures to be taken to minimize air pollution and health hazards caused due to the functioning of a number of brick kilns in Jammu Division visited Kathua and Samba districts today.
Headed by Choudhry Zulfikar Ali, MLA, the Sub-Committee directed the District Development Commissioner (DDC) Samba and DDC Kathua to constitute committees to visit all the brick kiln units and submit status reports to the Assembly Secretariat within fortnight for the scrutiny of the Sub-Committee Members.
Legislators, Yashpal Kundal, Charanjit Singh, Choudhary Sham Lal and Prof. Garu Ram Bhagat were part of the Sub-Committee.
The Committee observed that opinion should be sought from farmers of the nearby places about the adverse effects of these units to environment as well as human lives.
Earlier, the Committee convened meetings of district officers at district headquarters in Samba and Kathua. Various issues pertaining to ill effects of brick kiln units and welfare schemes meant for labourers working in brick kilns came up for discussion. The Committee suggested conducting Environment Impact Assessment of these brick kilns and stressed on adherence to Environment Management Plan with long term eco friendly strategies for these units.
The panel directed the officers of Agriculture Production Department to gear up their field functionaries and assess the losses caused due to ill effects of brick kilns to farmers and submit reports to the concerned DDCs for submission to Assembly Secretariat for examination of the Committee. The panel directed the concerned to adhere to Pollution Control Board norms related to brick kilns.
Detailed discussion was also held on rates of bricks and the Committee directed the DDCs to ensure that the rate lists are displayed at every brick kiln.
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