Violating PPCB orders: Licences of 6 more brick-kiln owners suspended

GURDASPUR:DISTRICT Food and Supplies Controller (DFSC) Munish Narula on Monday suspended the licences of the six more brick-kiln owners in the district for violation of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) orders that restricts the kiln operation in the state from October 1 to January 31, 2019.

The DFSC had issued notices to 13 brick-kiln owners in the district,who had been operating their kilns in the district despite the ban imposed by the PPCB on their operation during the said period, directing them to stop firing their kilns within three days or their licences would be suspended. As many as 11 of the violators had given undertakings to the administration that they would stop the operations immediately to comply by the orders of the PPCB, whereas two of them had failed to reply to the notices issued by the DFSC.

Following which, licences of the two brick-kiln owners were suspended.

“Despite giving undertakings to the administration that they won’t fire their kilns, six brickkilns were found operating during the raids,” the DFSC said.

It is pertinent to mention here that Hindustan Times had highlighted in its report published on November 9, that as many as 12 brick-kilns were operational in the district, violating the PPCB orders of keeping them closed till January 31, 2019. The PPCB via its order had observed that owing to the worsening air quality index in the state from October to December, the brick-kilns will restrict firing during the said period.