Brick constitutes the primary constructional material for any building whatever the climatic conditions. Bricks are baked in a kiln and the method of baking the bricks in our State is primitive. While developed countries have inducted full doze of modernity into the brick baking method, we are bogged with old fashioned and most hazardous way of producing bricks for construction.
The environmental hazard associated with the kilns raised close to the human habitats is alarming. Some kilns have come up amidst habitats. These pose deadly threat to life. This is truer of District Budgam where brick kilns have been raised in close proximity of human habitats. According to local medical practitioners, there is large scale breathing problem with most of the people in these areas. Their repeated attempts of bringing the matter to the notice of authorities have been of no avail. So much serious has thematter become for health conscious people that some of them in direct impact have decided to abandon their places and seek residence far away from the dust and din of their original homes now fallen close to the site of the kiln factory.
Smoke, soot and dust emitted by these brick kilns are hazardous not only for human beings and animals but also for plants, greenery and crops. Farmers from Budgam told our correspondent that vegetable growing had become unproductive because the crops get damaged and there is no remedy to it. Trees lose green leaves and flora and fauna of the localities within polluted areas is under much threat. Out of total 300 brick kilns in Budgam district, 230 are posing threat to the biotic environment in the district.
Regional Director State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) says that the norms laid down by the State Pollution Control Board, the fixed height of chimney should be above 115 feet. This norm ensures that harmful smoke and gases emitted from these kilns are released in the upper atmosphere so that they do not come into contact with the human population. In most cases this norm is not adhered to.
We would like to impress upon the administration that this health hazard has to be removed without loss of time. Nobody should be allowed to play with human lives. The polluted air adversely affects respiratory system in human beings. A team of inspectors may be constituted to advise the government on relocating the kilns far away from human habitats and using modern technology that will do away with obsolete and redundant method of baking the bricks. The complaints of locals about noise pollution have also been coming in. The tipper carrying brick loads with great frequency during day and night has made it difficult for the local population to sleep in peace. They are faced with noise pollution. This aspect also needs to be addressed immediately.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel