Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Environmentalists have expressed grave concern over the government’s decision to shut brick kilns until December 31 to cope with expected smog, saying that the government should use modern technologies for the purpose instead of closing kilns.

Last week, the government had ordered that all traditional kilns must remain shut from October 20 until December 31 to cut smog that had blighted parts of Punjab and other areas of the country in recent years.

The decision, however, did not receive appreciation from climate change experts.

Environmentalists were of the view that the government should modernise the system and provide technical assistance to brick kiln owners so that they could avail toxic-free material to run kilns.

Talking to Daily Times, Dr Saima Naizi, an environmentalist with over 10 years of experience in different projects of climate change, said that the world was running brick kilns throughout the year. There are eco-safe kilns as well. Zigzag kilns have been introduced in many countries, she said, adding that the Pakistani Ministry of Climate Change had also tried to implement this technology but failed to do so in practical means.

Dr Naizi said that the government should devise policies and arrangements under which kiln owners could adopt environment-friendly zigzag technology.

“As per the studies conducted so far, the zigzag brick kiln technology reduces 40 percent coal consumption,” she said, adding that it also offers 90 percent top quality bricks, compared with 70 percent secured through conventional methods. She further explained that the new technology was also cheaper as it decreases coal consumption.

A senior faculty member at Environmental Sciences Department of the International Islamic University Islamabad, Dr Muhammad Irfan Khan, said that emission of huge quantity of toxic elements from brick kilns was causing serious health diseases apart from environmental pollution and smog. He revealed that carbon particles and high concentration of carbon monoxides and oxides were harmful to eye, lungs and throat.

Dr Khan said that air pollutants could stunt the mental and physical growth of children, suggesting that burning of firewood and other harmful material, including cheapest quality discarded plastic, used engine oil of vehicles and other such material in kilns should be prohibited across the country.

“The government should provide technical and financial support to kiln owners so that they could prefer fuel to other flawed material,” he further suggested.

All Pakistan Brick Kiln Association President Shoaib Khan Niazi said that the decision had made thousands of wretched workers jobless. While sharing some details, Niazi claimed that there are around 19,000 kilns across the country and millions of people are attached with them directly to earn their bread and butter.

To a question, Niazi said that the government had earlier planned to convert all kilns into zigzag technology but did not give any timeline. “Indeed, the government is not ready to review its own polices, forcing the poor workers to go broke,” he regretted.

Maqool Ahmed, who is owner of over 15 brick kilns in Chakwal, said that the closure of brick kilns for such a long time was incomprehensible. “The smog season occurs for very a limited time – hardly for a month – while the closure of kilns for over 70 days is beyond understanding,” Ahmed regretted.

Despite repeated attempts, Adviser to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam could not be approached for his comments.

Published in Daily Times, October 31^st 2018.