The pollution caused due to illegal bricks in Jharsuguda district has become a major challenge for the district administration now-a-days. The flora and fauna has been affected to a great extent and the environmentalists have advised to use fly ash bricks in place of conventional ones.
All these brick kilns are operating illegally in the absence of environment clearance under EIA Notification 2006.
Bricks are an important component of construction material. No house can be built without bricks. That speaks a lot for its production on a large scale. This is the reason why Governments issue strict instructions to relevant bodies to ensure that brick kilns are opened and allowed to function under very strict conditions.
During 2016, the Tara Dutt Commission had directed the Revenue Department not permit anybody to open such bricks making units. As an alternative measure, the Government assistance was provided to the general public on loan basis for preparing fly ash bricks instead of conventional earthen bricks. In spite of all such measures, the directions are not complied with in lakhanpur tehsil. Defying Government directions, the bricks unit owners are making such bricks openly. Sources said much of the stolen coal goes to nearby brick kilns that don't have purchase contract with the Mahanandi Coal Fields limited (MCl).
Some revenue officials and employees are supporting these unscrupulous persons. As a skin saving measure, the Revenue Inspectors have remained silent giving a formal report to the Tehsildar against some token bricks quarry owners.
After paying some nominal penalty to the Government, these owners are getting blanket permission to continue their business further. As alleged, the lion’s share of penalty collected goes to the unscrupulous revenue officials in the district. By getting a token amount out of the penalty, the Government is losing crores of revenue.
lakhanpur Tehsildar Hemsagar Bhoi, when contacted, said that the general public is doing the brick making business defying Government directions. "However, the defaulters are being penalised by the Government," he added.
Being the largest Tehsil in the district, lakhanpur has six RI circles like Charpali, Bhikampalli, lakhanpur, Bandhbahal, Kumbharbandh and Belpahar. Thousands of illegal bricks quarries are operating under these RI circles. But, the Revenue Inspectors have reported to the Tehsildar about only 15 to 20 bricks units in each circle .
Basing on their reports, token penalties are imposed by the lakhanpur Tehsildar to maintain formalities. The Revenue Department is clarifying that rural people have opened these bricks units to make their houses. However, public demand is rising for taking immediate action against these persons.