LAYYAH Around 250 brick kilns pose a major health threat to 1.4 million inhabitants of this district by using unauthorised and poisonous fuel, Dawn has learned during a survey.
All kilns usually use plastic materials, wheat husk, dung, poultry waste, old tyres and substandard wood. Not even a single kiln was found using approved fuel, which is coal. The kilns using wheat husk and other materials have a life span of 10 years only while those using coal have three times more, says Amjad Ali, civil engineer.
The consumption of bhusa (husk) is damaging livestock industry as it is also used as fodder for cattle. During the last off season, the price of bhusa went up from Rs80 to Rs380 per maund.
Nuzhat Yasmeen, who is a member of the district assembly, during a special session, tabled resolution No 40/06 against the use of bhusa in kilns. The district assembly unanimously adopted the resolution, urging the district nazim to impose Section 144 of the Cr.P.C. so that the district administration could take action against the kiln owners using husk as fuel.
To control these poisonous emissions, none of the kilns has installed filtration or re-filtration equipment. Workers have also not been provided safety gear.
During the survey conducted by Dawn, sheer violation of labour laws and environment protection regulations were observed. Children were found engaged in brick manufacturing and fueling the kilns in extremely hostile conditions.
Around 8,000 child labourers are working at these kilns, putting at stake the health of 1.4 million citizens of this district, says Kashif Inayat, a prominent environmentalist and human rights activist.
The height of exhaust chimney should be over 40 feet so that pollutants' emissions enter upper atmospheric layer but most of the chimneys are lower than the standard height, he adds.
Kashif accuses the environment protection agencies of criminal negligence in ignoring their duties by allowing kiln owners to play with the lives of innocent people.
The kiln industry has 45,000 workers who are almost outside the purview of labour laws. Around 5,000 fire igniters were found working without masks, safety jackets, shoes and gloves. If any worker receives burns, kiln owners dont provide them proper treatment.
These workers are extremely low-paid and are forced to work for 12 hours instead of eight. Kiln owners pay them a meagre salary of Rs4,500 per month instead of Rs7,000 approved by the government. They also violate the labour laws by denying the workers salary against leave due.
The labourers are agitating to seek better wages for the last few weeks and they have held sit-ins and processions in front of the office of district coordination officer (DCO) during their campaign.
Dr. Javed Iqbal, a local physician, says that number of patients of eye ailments, pulmonary diseases, asthma, tuberculosis and dermatological diseases have increased alarmingly.
He maintains that worst was the condition of patients belonging to poor segments of society who are usually unable to afford expensive treatment of these ailments. He appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of inhumane and cruel practices of kiln owners.
DCO Javed Iqbal maintains that he can only determine the wages of the labourers and the rates of bricks. The authority to impose Section 144 lies with the district nazim and without imposition of Section 144, the district administration is helpless, he adds. The district officer for labour maintains that his department takes action if the labour laws are violated or bricks are not manufactured according to the approved size dimensions. However, he admits that labour laws are violated and they take action from time to time against the violators.
District environment inspector Adnan Khan maintains that kilns can only use coal and wood as fuel.
He says that notices are being issued to kiln owners in this regard and at least 25 such owners have been summoned by his department to a hearing in Lahore under the environment protection order.
He admits that exhaust chimneys of the kiln should be 50-foot high but most brick kilns have only 35 to 40 feet high chimneys.
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