Illegal brick kilns add to summer woes of Cuttack denizens

CUTTACK: With temperature hovering around 40 degree Celsius, numerous furnaces at illegal brick kilns across the district have added to the miseries of the silver city’s residents.Though environmentalists have been expressing concern over mushrooming of brick kilns close to human habitations, leading to rise in temperature as well as degradation of soil fertility, the district administration has done little to curb the menace.

Despite restrictions imposed by Odisha State Pollution Control Board, more than 8,000 illegal brick kilns are operating in the 15 tehsils of Cuttack district. The highest number of such brick kilns are operating in Nischintakoili tehsil.

Most of these brick kilns, set up in agriculture land close to human habitation, schools and even temples and monuments protected either by State Archeology Department or Archeological Survey of India, are being run by a few influential persons in connivance with the local revenue officials.

The brick kiln owners increase their production in the months of April and May as it takes less time for the clay to dry up during this period. Such kilns also draw ground water using electric motors illegally.While use of huge quantity of wood in the brick kilns is one of the causes of deforestation, emission of huge volume of carbon dioxide  due to burning of coal and wood in causes atmospheric pollution and are also responsible for respiratory related diseases in the localities, said environmentalist Pradipta Kishore Mishra.
Besides, regular movement of vehicles especially trucks and tractors to transport the bricks from these kilns damages the roads in rural areas.

Locals allege that repeated complaints in this regard to local Tehsildars have been in vain.“Instead of curbing the menace, the revenue officials are encouraging unscrupulous brick businessmen to continue the illegal trade”, they said.When contacted, district Collector, Susant Kumar Mohapatra said that he would issue a letter to all Tehsildars to check illegal operation of brick kilns within a day or two.