Dr. Ram Chander Sharma
The fragile ecology of Jammu Shivaliks running from Lakhanpur to Poonch is dotted with mushroom growth of illegal Brick Kilns (BK) by BK mafia having nexus of politicians,businessman,police and executive. Irreparable loss has occurred to Jammu Shvaliks and other areas of Jammu and Kashmir for a long time due to functioning of BKs – the forest cover has depleted and invaluable top soil has been excavated by the BK mafia under the very nose of administration. The innocent farmers are the silent spectators and sufferers. All over India the functioning of BKs is regulated by set procedures and rules set by Government and time to time directions by Hon’ble Courts. But in Jammu and Kashmir all rules and regulations are overlooked.
In Jammu and Kashmir for the first time by the virtue of Jammu and Kashmir Brick Kilns Regulation Act 2010 set rules were framed to regulate and issue licences for BKs. In that no BK can be established on agricultural land and the BK can only be established on Banjri Kadim land identified by the Revenue Department. Furthermore NOCs has to be obtained from the forest, agriculture, PWD, legal metrology, health, education and concerned Dy. Commissioner. But it is astonishing that most of the BKs are grossly violating the sitting criteria. Subsequently Govt. Of Jammu and Kashmir in the year 2014 BK Act 2010 under SRO 152 and set new sitting criteria that no BK can be established in the inhibited area, the concerned Block Medical Officer/Chief Medical Officer, Executive Engineer should ensure that the unit is 100 meters away from the road, should have adequate clay and NOC from State Pollution Control Board. But all the old and new BKs continue to operate. Again in the year 2016 Govt. again came with new regulations from Law and Justice and Parliament Affairs with the amendments with the directions that the existing BKs should obtain land use certificate from the revenue authorities, environment clearance and land identified to store mud/clay by Director Agriculture.
Presently no BK in Jammu and Kashmir conforms the new guidelines or the directions issued by the National Green Tribunal. The concerned Dy. Commissioner is the designated authority to issue the environment clearance, but sill no suspension of the licence has been made or the machinery or BK sealed.
In the fragile doon Valley of Nowshera numerous BKs are operating illegally by the powerful BK mafia and utilising top soil/clay from the poor farmers by paying petty amounts. The other factor is that the BKs use fire wood for baking the bricks- thus denuding the area of green cover. The BK owners sell the bricks on their own rates thus the business in highly lucrative. With the illegal operations on BKs the vast tracts on agricultural land has turned barren as the whole area is rocky with little top soil. The Valley is surrounded by hills and the poisonous smoke emanating from the chimneys ultimately settles down in the area affecting the human and animal health. The agricultural productivity and orchards have been affected.
The BKs on Jammu Akhnoor road are operating for the decades together on road side, the fire wood comes from the far away Kalidar area with the active involvement of forest department. Similarly in Samba and Kathua districts a large numbers of BKs are existing illegally supplying the huge demands of towns and Jammu city.
The menace of illegal BKs is damaging the fragile environment of Jammu and Kashmir with Govt. showing no political will to cancel the licences. Alternative construction material can be used in construction industry as cement blocks which are cheaper. The Government can take the opinion of experts to reduce the use of bricks. The concerned Dy. Commissioners who are the chairman of Distt. Environment Impact Assessment Authority must be made accountable to implement the laws of BK Act which has been passed by the state legislature. No fresh licences must be issued and no licences must be renewed unless all the rules are followed.
(The auother is an envoirmentalist)
feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com
Follow our WhatsApp channel