Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent
There are over 50 illegal brick kilns in Lakshmikunda union under Ishwardi upazila of Pabna that are severly damaging environment. Hundreds of bighas of agricultural land are being wasted due to these illegally built brickfields in crop fields without permission.
Late last year, Pabna and Bogura Environment Department conducting raids evicted some of these illegal brick kilns and fined others large sums of money. Although the brick kilns were instructed to shut down, it did not closed for unknown reasons.
It is learned that 52 unauthorized brickfields have been set up in the crop lands of Kamalpur, Dadapur and Bilkeda villages under Lakshmikunda union of Ishwardi. The owners of these kilns have been making bricks illegaly for a long time without administrative permission.
Instead of following the rules of the Department of Environment, woods of different trees are burnt at these kilns instead of coal. Therefore, these kilns emmit black smoke while burning bricks and thus pollute the environment. Besides, these kilns are destroying the trees of the area in the process.
According to locals, eviction of illegal kilns started in April last year but was stopped due to mysterious reasons. Owners have been running the kilns with the support of influentials, they complained.
Lakshmikunda UP Chairman Anisur Rahman Sharif said, “Initially, the kiln owners took trade licenses from the Union Parishad, but they did not renew them and no clearance was given by the Union Parishad”.
Ishwardi Upazila Agriculture Officer Abdul Latif said, agricultural land in the union was being damaged due to the illegal construction of innumerable kilns. The black smoke and ash is causing damage to mango, litchi and jackfruit trees as well as adversely affecting the natural environment.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer PM Imrul Kayes said the construction of brickfields in Lakshmikunda is polluting environmental as well as agricultural land. Pabna district administration has been contacted and action will be taken against these brick kilns soon, he added.
