Kendrapara: Illegal operation of brick kilns, along with sand and clay mining for the purpose, is causing severe damage to riverbeds in Kendrapara district. Rampant sand and clay mining and transportation for the brick kilns without the required No Objection Certificate (NOC) have led to significant revenue loss for the state treasury. While hundreds of brick kilns continue to operate without restriction, issues such as child labour and air pollution remain largely ignored. Ignoring the directives of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), illegal brick kiln operators continue such activities with impunity, leading to rising temperatures in the area, thereby worsening public life.
Highlighting these concerns, the Mangrove Forest Protection Organisation recently submitted a petition to the District Collector during a public administrative hearing, demanding action against the violations. Prabhu Prasad Mahapatra, an official of the outfit, stated that riverbeds in the district have become prime targets of these businesses and illegal extraction of soil and sand is rampant. Existing environmental protection laws, including the Forest and Environment Protection Act of 1986, as well as regulations from the Fire, Labour, and Revenue departments, have failed to curb illegal brick kiln operations. Manufacturing and baking clay bricks without prior permission from the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and the state government’s Industries department are illegal.
However, the continued operation of over a hundred brick kilns in the district has disrupted normal life. Environmental expert Ashok Kumar Swain pointed out that the heat, dust and fumes emanating from these kilns have led to hazardous environmental conditions, making life unbearable for local residents. Akshay Behera from Bandhapada village under Derabish block said a formal complaint had been lodged at the District Collector’s offi ce regarding illegal mining. Certain individuals allegedly extracted soil from Tarajanga (Balidiapatna) pasture land to manufacture bricks, leaving the area unsuitable for grazing owing to craters of up to 3-4 feet depth. “Brick kiln owners extract soil from pasture lands, uncultivated plots, riverbanks, and floodplains. The tehsil office has failed to take note of these activities, allowing the violations to continue unchecked,” alleged Subhendu Kumar Das, a resident of Kendrapara town. Debasish Jena from Indupur village said riverbanks across the district have turned easy targets for illegal mining due to the high availability of sand and clay, rendering the landscapes severely degraded.
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Brick kiln owners are reportedly employing labourers from Balasore, Bhadrak, Keonjhar, Medinipur in Kolkata, and Chapra in Bihar for these operations. Cases of child labour have also been observed in these kilns. One brick kiln owner justified the operations citing increased demand for clay bricks in construction due to the shortage of fly ash brick factories. He suggested that if the brick factories were granted cottage industry status, those could generate employment opportunities for youths and address labour issues. “Despite ban imposed by the SPCB and NGT, illegal brick kilns continue to function. According to the 1986 Pollution Control Act and the 2005 regulation banning sand mining within 500 metres of riverbanks, these operations are prohibited,” legal expert Bidhu Bhushan Mahapatra pointed out. He indicated plans to fi le a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding the matter. Contacted, Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Nilu Mahapatra said action is being taken against illegal brick kilns.
