Brickfields pollute the environment

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Bricks are made in the country by burning firewood, gas or coal in moulds at kilns. But there is regulation in burning firewood in the brickfields as it has adverse effects on the environment. The demand for firewood in the brick kilns leads to the cutting down of trees creating deforestation.
Trees give off oxygen and are needed for a healthy and salubrious environment. However, it comes directly under threat from the unregulated cutting of trees by brick kiln operators. This was one of the main reasons for introducing regulations, prohibiting brick burning with firewood and allowing only gas or coal for the purpose.
Many brickfields across the country continue to use firewood at random and without care for the regulations. The brickfield owners consider the use of firewood as cheaper or more economical and they resort to such use, defying the law and regulations. The law should be vigorously applied in this area and, therefore, attention of the higher authorities ought to be directed to this problem. They should ensure that the directive regarding not using firewood in brick kilns is properly observed.
There are other regulations as well which the managers of the kiln ought to pay heed such as building chimneys at a certain height and in such positions that their exhausts can be discharged towards relatively less inhabited places or away from trees and vegetation. There are strict rules to prevent the establishment of brickfields in densely populated areas or too near places having considerable trees and vegetation.
The brickfield operators should be obliged to adhere to all these rules by the authorities. As it is, many populated places in the country, along with their trees and vegetation, are facing abnormal environmental degradation from the freestyle operation of the brickfields. People in these areas are found to be suffering from asphyxiating diseases such as asthma, skin diseases and other ailments. The diseases are seen to be the direct outcome of a hazardous environment from unregulated brick burning. The dying tress and vegetation in these places from the excess fumes of brickfields are contributing to the serious environmental decline there. All of these things dictate the need for more enforcement of regulations in relation to the brickfields.
Kamal Ahmed
Amin Bazar
Dhaka