Brick-kiln smoke causes health hazards, damages fruit orchards in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI, July 9: Emission of a huge quantity of toxic elements with smoke from brick kilns in different upazilas is causing serious environment pollution and creating health hazards.
For this reason, the number of asthma patients has increased here in the last three years. Besides, the smoke is damaging nearby fruit orchards, vegetables and others crops, locals alleged.
The brick kilns emit toxic fumes containing suspended particulate matters rich in carbon particles and high concentration of carbon monoxides and oxides of sulphur that are harmful to the ecological balance and also for human body, especially to lungs, eyes and throat, said environment specialists.
Toxic smoke coming out the brick kilns causes asthma especially in children and elderly people. For this reason, the number of asthma patients has been increasing day by day, said doctors at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.  
During a recent visit, this correspondent found that the 'Auto Brick Kiln' at Nawhata under Paba upazila is producing bricsk. There are 24 chambers at this brick kiln and cracks were found on most of them.
The chambers remain open from early morning and produce bricks the whole night, creating a huge quantity of smoke. There is no water chamber in the kiln.  Talking to The Daily Observer, Abul Khayer, Selim Reza and some other mango growers of Palopara and Modonhati areas said, "The 'Auto Brick Kiln' has been producing bricks for the last three years creating serious environment, health hazards and damaging crops and fruits."  
Brick kiln smoke also damages the mango flowers and creates black spot on the mangoes. For this reason, they are not getting minimum price after selling the damaged mangoes in the market. They have been facing huge loss worth about three crore taka for the last three years, they added.      
According to the environment law, no brick kiln can be adjacent to three kilometres of any fruit orchard.
In Paba upazila, most of the kilns did not follow the rules. Now these kilns are hampering the production of fruit-bearing trees, especially mango, litchi, jackfruit and other crops in the upazilas.
Scientist Officer at Rajshahi Fruit Research Institute Dr Abdul Alim said, "Emission of huge quantity toxic elements with smoke from brick kilns is causing serious environment pollution like damaging fruits, crops and also creating health hazards in this tract for long. The local farmers are facing setback in farming crops on their lands which are located adjacent to the brick kilns." "Moreover, production of fruit-bearing trees, especially jackfruit and mango, has declined drastically since the brick kilns have been running in the district. Now the mango farmers have to face huge loss as black spots have been detected on the mangoes," he added.
Professor Dr. Azizul Islam of the Department of Environment Science Institute at Rajshahi University said, "If any brick kiln is set up around pastures or orchards, these are directly affected due to toxic smoke from the kilns, and the production of fruits and other crops suffers setback. As a result, the farmers have to face huge loss every year. The administration should take necessary steps against the kiln owners who are producing brick disobeying the rules and regulation."
In this regard, Manju, manager of the 'Auto Brick Kiln' in Paba upazila said that they are producing bricks following all the rules and regulations of the Environment Department.