Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Apr 4: In brazen violation of the Jammu and Kashmir Brick Kilns (Regulations) Act 2010, thousands of kanals of orchard and agriculture land is being brought under brick kilns in Central Kashmir district of Budgam by powerful brick kiln mafia.
Majority of these brick kilns spread over 40, 000 kanals of land are in villages of Nasrallulah Pora, Chandpora, Poonch Gund, Bunhama, Utligam, Charangam, Sagam, Pimus, Razwain, Bundgam, Gud Suthu, Sholipora, Labartal, Waterwani, Choon, Parnewa, Gondipora and Wahpora area of district Budgam. These kilns are near school, hospitals, residential areas, agriculture land, orchards and water resources in gross violations of the Jammu and Kashmir Brick Kilns (regulations) Act 2010.
Lakhs of apple, almond, walnut, peach, pear, apricot and cherry trees were felled in the karewas of Budgam district to pave way for the brick kilns.
According to the Act, no brick kiln shall be established on any land which is agriculture land, is fit for cultivation of any agriculture produce, has not been declared Banjar-e-Kadeem in the revenue records or is within the forest area of the State under the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Act 1987.
The Act says due regard is to be taken of “whether such kiln is not detrimental to the health of general public, habitation, water resources, flora and fauna in close proximity”.
Bacchi Wudur, 15 kilometres from city centre Lal Chowk in village Garind Khurd in the Central Kashmir district of Budgam has been the recent target of brick kiln mafia where hundreds of trees have been felled to pave way for 5 brick kilns.
Residents say that around 1500 kanals of orchard land at Bacchi Wudur have been leased out to brick kiln owners by the famers and hundreds of trees have been felled so far. Tehsildar Headquarter Budgam, Shahbaz Boda acknowledged that it is horticulture land and trees have been felled.
After complaint by the residents, police have registered an a case (FIR No. 424/13 in Police Station Budgam under sections 420, 277, 278, 435, 188 RPC and 16 and 21 Brick Kilns (regulations) Act 2010).
But residents allege that more trees are being felled and brick kiln owners have started work on the project again and chimney is being erected. Assistant Commissioner (Collector Defence) Budgam, Abdul Hamid Zargar, told Excelsior that they have received information about some activity. “We won’t allow it. We have already lodged an FIR against the violators”, he said.
Tehsildar Headquarter Budgam, Shahbaz Boda, said that the brick kiln owners have started work on the kilns despite a case against them. “We will arrest all those who are violating the law and stop these brick kilns on horticulture land”, he added.
The District Officer Pollution Control Board (PCB) Budgam, Mohammad Ashraf Khanday, told Excelsior that he visited the spot and around 1000 kanals of orchard land has been leveled by the brick kiln owners in Garind Khurd. “They have no PCB certificate. We have also complaint against few brick kilns in village Haran in Budgam”, he added.
Assistant Commissioner (Collector Defence) Budgam, Abdul Hamid Zargar acknowledges that thousands of kanals of agriculture and horticulture land is under brick kilns in Budgam. “We can’t do anything against these brick kilns as under the Brick Kilns Act they have to operate till March 2016. It will be decided after 2016 whether to allow them to operate or not”, he added.
Sources said that there are around 300 brick kilns operating in district Budgam, some of them illegally. However, Zargar said that 153 brick kilns are registered with the Government in Budgam. “We have recovered Rs 33 lakh from erring brick kiln owners during past few years”, he added.
The District Officer PCB, Mohammad Ashraf Khanday, said that there are 210 brick kilns in Budgam. “160 have PCB clearance and 10 have principle approval and against 17 we have issued closure order. We have also suspended license of 23 brick kilns that were not following pollution norms”, he added.
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