Khagrachhari Correspondent :
At least 29 illegal brick kilns, operating in the hill district, are polluting hill air, threatening public health and environment.
Khagrachhari district administration sources said there are 7 brick kilns in Sadar upazila, 6 in Matiranga, 5 in Dighinala, 4 in Ramgorh, 2 each in Manikchhari and Mohalchhari, 2 in Panchhari and 1 in Laxmichhari upazila in the district.
All of the brick kilns have been operating without any permission from the Department of Environment (DoE) and have no valid licence from concerned administration, the same sources said.
Robiul Islam, president of Parivesh Andolon Forum (PAF), a local organisation, alleged all the brick kilns are running with 25-30 feet chimney instead of 120 feet long chimney or modern technology.
Thousands of trees are axed down during the brick manufacture period (November to April) from either reserve forest or unclassified state forest in the district and are used as fire wood in all 29 brick kilns under the nose of administration. The smoke coming out from the chimney of brick kilns have been also polluting hill air.
The brick kilns are directly responsible for reducing forest, damages bio-diversity, and cause soil erosion that fill up river, Robiul pointed out adding that farmers are also counting losses as their fruit orchards have been damaged by air pollution.
Robiul Islam also blamed the brick kiln owners for cutting hill and using hill soil in their brick field for making bricks.
While interviewed, Mujibur Rahman Bhuiyan, vice-president of Brick Kilns Owners’ Association, also owner of Three-Star Brick Kiln at Wachhu Battali under Matiranga upazila in the district denied their involvement in hill cutting and using woods as firewood. But during a recent visit the correspondent saw huge stalk of woods and a bulldozer being used for cutting hill soil.
Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Jugal Pado Dey, echoing the same sentiment of the environment worker Robiul Islam, said brick kilns are directly responsible for environment pollution.
“No one can resist natural revenge that nature takes by its own course,” Jugal Pado Dey said, adding that these anti-environment activities must be stopped at any cost.
When talking to Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mohammad Wahiduzzaman said he is not aware about brick kilns issue as he joined here a week ago. “I will take legal action against the brick kilns which have been operating illegally and violating laws of DoE,”
At least 29 illegal brick kilns, operating in the hill district, are polluting hill air, threatening public health and environment.
Khagrachhari district administration sources said there are 7 brick kilns in Sadar upazila, 6 in Matiranga, 5 in Dighinala, 4 in Ramgorh, 2 each in Manikchhari and Mohalchhari, 2 in Panchhari and 1 in Laxmichhari upazila in the district.
All of the brick kilns have been operating without any permission from the Department of Environment (DoE) and have no valid licence from concerned administration, the same sources said.
Robiul Islam, president of Parivesh Andolon Forum (PAF), a local organisation, alleged all the brick kilns are running with 25-30 feet chimney instead of 120 feet long chimney or modern technology.
Thousands of trees are axed down during the brick manufacture period (November to April) from either reserve forest or unclassified state forest in the district and are used as fire wood in all 29 brick kilns under the nose of administration. The smoke coming out from the chimney of brick kilns have been also polluting hill air.
The brick kilns are directly responsible for reducing forest, damages bio-diversity, and cause soil erosion that fill up river, Robiul pointed out adding that farmers are also counting losses as their fruit orchards have been damaged by air pollution.
Robiul Islam also blamed the brick kiln owners for cutting hill and using hill soil in their brick field for making bricks.
While interviewed, Mujibur Rahman Bhuiyan, vice-president of Brick Kilns Owners’ Association, also owner of Three-Star Brick Kiln at Wachhu Battali under Matiranga upazila in the district denied their involvement in hill cutting and using woods as firewood. But during a recent visit the correspondent saw huge stalk of woods and a bulldozer being used for cutting hill soil.
Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Jugal Pado Dey, echoing the same sentiment of the environment worker Robiul Islam, said brick kilns are directly responsible for environment pollution.
“No one can resist natural revenge that nature takes by its own course,” Jugal Pado Dey said, adding that these anti-environment activities must be stopped at any cost.
When talking to Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mohammad Wahiduzzaman said he is not aware about brick kilns issue as he joined here a week ago. “I will take legal action against the brick kilns which have been operating illegally and violating laws of DoE,”
