Indiscriminate use of firewood in brick kilns
Sunday, 3 May 2009
Our Correspondent
MADARIPUR, May 2: Despite government ban, firewood is extensively being used in the brickfields in the district.
Brick Burning Control Ordinance 1992 prohibits brickfield owners from using firewood in kilns. The law, however, allows use of coal.
It also prohibits setting up of brickfields on croplands.
There are about 40 brickfields in four upazilas of the district. Most of the brick kilns here pose threat to environment producing bricks in violation of the Environment Conservation Act.
The kilns, sprung up in areas close to human settlements, are threatening public health. According to the Environment Conservation Act of 2001, no brick kiln is allowed in the cities, within three kilometers of the upazila headquarters, in reserved forests or at the bottom of any hill.
On the other hand, most of the brick kilns have neither chimneys with the standard height of 120 feet nor are equipped with wet-scrubber to check air pollution.
Three brickfields in the district are running without licenses, according to reliable sources. A huge amount of VAT reportedly has been lying arrear with the brick field owners in the district.
The labourers engaged in different kilns of the district are also being deprived of fair wages. The kilns owners are paying the labourers at their sweat will regardless of the volume of work. The wages of labourers have not been re-fixed in keeping with the spiraling price trend of bricks.
MADARIPUR, May 2: Despite government ban, firewood is extensively being used in the brickfields in the district.
Brick Burning Control Ordinance 1992 prohibits brickfield owners from using firewood in kilns. The law, however, allows use of coal.
It also prohibits setting up of brickfields on croplands.
There are about 40 brickfields in four upazilas of the district. Most of the brick kilns here pose threat to environment producing bricks in violation of the Environment Conservation Act.
The kilns, sprung up in areas close to human settlements, are threatening public health. According to the Environment Conservation Act of 2001, no brick kiln is allowed in the cities, within three kilometers of the upazila headquarters, in reserved forests or at the bottom of any hill.
On the other hand, most of the brick kilns have neither chimneys with the standard height of 120 feet nor are equipped with wet-scrubber to check air pollution.
Three brickfields in the district are running without licenses, according to reliable sources. A huge amount of VAT reportedly has been lying arrear with the brick field owners in the district.
The labourers engaged in different kilns of the district are also being deprived of fair wages. The kilns owners are paying the labourers at their sweat will regardless of the volume of work. The wages of labourers have not been re-fixed in keeping with the spiraling price trend of bricks.