NGT seeks action taken report on brick kilns running in UP

The National Green Tribunal has sought action taken reports on brick kilns running in Meerut, Shamli and Muzaffarnagar districts in Uttar Pradesh, noting that illegal units were adding to the air pollution.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the Uttar Pradesh State Pollution Control Board and the district magistrates of three districts to furnish factual and action taken reports in the matter within a month via email.

The tribunal said if any brick kiln is found to be operating illegally in the area, appropriate action may be taken in accordance with the law.

"A large number of brick kilns are operating illegally without converting to zigzag technology and without valid consent under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. Operation of such brick kilns is adding to the pollution. The State Pollution Control Board has failed to take necessary action in exercise of its statutory powers," the bench said.

The NGT also ordered that a copy of this order be sent to the Uttar Pradesh State Pollution Control Board and the district magistrates of Meerut, Shamli and Muzzafarnagar by email.

"The applicant may furnish a set of papers each to the Uttar Pradesh State Pollution Control Board and the District Magistrates, Meerut, Shamli and Muzzafarnagar, and file an affidavit of service within a week," it said.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by UP resident Vinit Kumar against the operation of brick kilns in the three districts that do not use the zigzag method as required in terms of orders of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) dated December 29, 2015 under Section 18 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

The plea said that according to the information received from the State Pollution Control Board in response to an RTI enquiry of the applicant, there are 731 brick kilns combined in these three districts of Uttar Pradesh, out of which only 140 brick kilns have valid consent under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and 20 brick kilns have adopted the zigzag technology.

In zigzag kilns, bricks are arranged to allow hot air to travel in a zigzag path, which results in better mixing of air and fuel and allows complete combustion, reducing coal consumption by about 20 per cent.