More Than Half of Budgam’s Brick Kilns Lack Valid Pollution Clearance, Official Data Reveals
Srinagar, June 19, KNT: More than half of the brick kilns operating in central Kashmir’s Budgam district do not possess a valid pollution clearance status, according to official consent records, raising serious questions about environmental compliance in one of the Valley’s largest brick-manufacturing hubs.
An analysis of official data pertaining to 225 brick kilns in Budgam by the news agency Kashmir News Trust reveals that only 107 units currently hold a valid Consent to Operate (CTO), while the remaining 118 units fall under various categories of non-compliance.
The data shows that 51 brick kilns are operating with Expired Consent to Operate (CTO) status, 40 units are listed as functioning “Without Consent,” while consent applications of 25 brick kilns have been formally refused by the authorities. In addition, two units figure in the records under Expired Consent to Establish (CTE) status.
The figures indicate that over 52 percent of the district’s brick kilns presently do not enjoy a valid operational consent status under pollution control regulations.
The revelations assume significance as brick kilns are categorized among environmentally sensitive industries owing to their impact on air quality, emissions and surrounding ecology. Under established norms, industrial units are required to obtain and periodically renew permissions from the Pollution Control Committee before commencing or continuing operations.
Environmental observers said the data presents a troubling conundrum for regulators and raises questions about enforcement mechanisms, particularly if units lacking valid permissions are found operational on the ground.
Central Kashmir’s Budgam district hosts one of the highest concentrations of brick kilns in Kashmir and contributes substantially to the region’s construction sector.
The official records are likely to trigger calls for a comprehensive audit to ascertain how many of the non-compliant units are presently operational and whether regulatory action has been initiated against violators. [KNT]
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