Gopalganj brickfields using firewood despite ban
Tuesday, 15 March 2011
Our Correspondent
GOPALGANJ, Mar 14: Firewood is being burnt indiscriminately by brickfield owners violating the government ban on it. There are about 30 brick fields in five upazilas of the district. Of them 18 are in Gopalgonj sadar upazila and 12 in four other upazilas. Most of the brickfields here pose a threat to the environment as they produce bricks violating the Environment Conservation Act. On the other hand a very few of the brickfield have chimneys with the standard height of 120 feet or equipped with wet-scrubber to check air pollution. The brickfield owners in the district are found to stock huge firewood in the burning bricks. According to an estimate some 43,000 k.g. of firewood is required to bake one lakh bricks. As per Brick Burning Control Act. 1992, one may be sentenced to suffer 10 years' rigorous imprisonment or be fined Tk 5,000 for violating the law. The illegal operation of the brick kilns destroys adjoining forests and spoils top-soil of agriculture land. Worst of all the kilns without chimneys equipped with wet scrubbers or standard height pollute air in a massive way exposing the people of nearby areas to serious health hazards. According to the Environment Conservation Act. of 2001, no brick kiln is allowed in the city, within three kilometers of the upazila headquarters or reserved forests or at the bottom of any hill. While talking to FE Sheikh Yousuf Harun, D.C. Gopalganj, on Tuesday, said there is no order for burning of wood for brick kilns. Local elites urged to the concerned authority to take necessary steps against them immediately.
GOPALGANJ, Mar 14: Firewood is being burnt indiscriminately by brickfield owners violating the government ban on it. There are about 30 brick fields in five upazilas of the district. Of them 18 are in Gopalgonj sadar upazila and 12 in four other upazilas. Most of the brickfields here pose a threat to the environment as they produce bricks violating the Environment Conservation Act. On the other hand a very few of the brickfield have chimneys with the standard height of 120 feet or equipped with wet-scrubber to check air pollution. The brickfield owners in the district are found to stock huge firewood in the burning bricks. According to an estimate some 43,000 k.g. of firewood is required to bake one lakh bricks. As per Brick Burning Control Act. 1992, one may be sentenced to suffer 10 years' rigorous imprisonment or be fined Tk 5,000 for violating the law. The illegal operation of the brick kilns destroys adjoining forests and spoils top-soil of agriculture land. Worst of all the kilns without chimneys equipped with wet scrubbers or standard height pollute air in a massive way exposing the people of nearby areas to serious health hazards. According to the Environment Conservation Act. of 2001, no brick kiln is allowed in the city, within three kilometers of the upazila headquarters or reserved forests or at the bottom of any hill. While talking to FE Sheikh Yousuf Harun, D.C. Gopalganj, on Tuesday, said there is no order for burning of wood for brick kilns. Local elites urged to the concerned authority to take necessary steps against them immediately.