A Correspondent
Boko: Kamrup District administration and Pollution Control Board of Assam (PCBA) failed to shut down the illegal brick industries (traditional ‘Banglabhata’ brick kilns) established in many villages under Boko, Chamaria and Nagarbera revenue circle in Boko LAC. People have installed brick kilns in large quantities especially in Haribhanga, Silobori, Damalsosh, Hekera, Tarabari, Balijhar, Ghilabari, Nalapara, Hahim and many other villages.
PCBA along with the administration conducted an awareness meet on brick kiln rules and regulations in Chamaria on August 17, where PCBA chairman Dr. Arup Kumar Mishra highlighted that more than 200 illegal brick industries were found during their survey in Boko, Chaygaon and Nagarbera revenue circle area.
However, the conscious people of the Boko area said that the count is more than 200 in only Boko. The Haribhanga area's anonymously mindful residents stressed that this type of installation took place annually. "Even though the state government or the relevant department continues to yell against the illegal brick industries, smugglers have ultimately managed everyone and it's continuing like this," they claimed.
“This type of incident occurs annually in Haribhanga and neighbouring villages, where locals establish over 100 brick kilns and pollute the area after the rainy season in order to profit financially. The air pollution issue in Haribhanga, Ghilabari, Silbaribari, and other Boko LAC villages has gotten worse recently. Smugglers use a lot of coal, firewood, and car tires to make bricks,” they said.
Without regard for hospitals, schools, or populous regions, people set up illegal brick kilns. As a result, the elderly, medical patients, and school-age children are particularly affected by air pollution. People who are exposed for an extended period of time may develop respiratory illnesses. According to local villagers, the effect can be particularly noticeable in those who have heart or lung conditions. It is to be mentioned that, after the awareness meet conducted by the PCBA, till today no actions has been taken against the illegal brick industries in the Boko and Chamaria revenue circle area.
However, During the awareness meet held on August 17, 2024 in Chamaria, Dr. Arup Kr. Mishra, chairman of the PCBA, highlighted the stringent new rules that will be enforced starting February 2025. Dr. Mishra emphasized that all illegal brick kilns, as well as traditional ‘Banglabhata’ brick kilns, would be banned from operating. He further elaborated on the government’s new guidelines, which mandate the adoption of cleaner technologies, such as zig-zag or vertical shaft kilns, or the use of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) as fuel. These measures are part of a broader effort to curb pollution from brick manufacturing in Assam.
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