PPCB decides to restrict working of brick kilns to 8 months in a year
BRICK KILNS IN THE STATE WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO FUNCTION FROM OCTOBER 1 TO JANUARY 30, SAYS PPCB
LUDHIANA : To check rising pollution, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has decided to restrict the functioning of brick kilns in the state to eight months (from February 1 to September 30).
In newspaper notices on Saturday, the PPCB has said that brick kilns would not be allowed to function from October 1 to January 30 and has invited objections within a month. The notice says following this, a notification would be issued.
PPCB’s move comes in the light of the deteriorating air quality in the state, due to multiple reasons including paddy straw burning and the bursting of crackers on Diwali and Gurpurb etc.
The use of coal in kilns in the winters is thus an issue. The particulate matter that the kilns generate do not get dispersed due to the weather, and thus the production is proposed to be restricted.
PPCB chairman Kahan Singh Pannu said, “After stubble burning, pollution level enters the severe zone. If kilns do not run at this time of the year, pollution levels will drop.”
INDUSTRY SUPPORTS DECISION
Punjab Brick Kiln Association president Sukhwinder Singh and general secretary Inderpal Singh both said they were in favour of the PPCB’s decision. “Authorities should allow operations from January 15 and should restrict the same after June,” said Inderpal Singh.
The association added authorities could even restrict production till June 30 as most of the kilns they operate are shut after this date. They claim that this will also reduce the illegal running of kilns.