Patiala, December 18, 2017: The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has issued a public notice under section 31-A of Air (Prevention and control of Pollution) Act-1981 to ban the firing of brick kilns in winter months of October to January every year with a view to improve the ambient air quality of the state.
There are about 3000 brick Kilns in the state and each brick kiln manufactures about 70-80 lacs clay bricks every year using coal as fuel which generates the air emission containing particulate matter, Carbon dioxide, Carbon monoxide and Oxides of Sulphur. Although, the Board has fixed 750 mg/Nm3 as the emission standards for these brick kilns but these prescribed emissions standards or even lower levels of emissions leads to pollution load discharged into the atmosphere especially during winter months.
About 40 percent of these brick kilns start firing of kilns in the month of October after rainy season. In winter months the ambient air quality declines considerably due to various reasons like burning of stubble in open fields after paddy harvesting, bursting of fire crackers during festivals and the marriage functions, dust emissions in the fields due to harvesting of crops and cleaning of grains in the grain markets. Poor dispersion of dust particles due to fall in temperature, rise in humidity and reduced wind speed also adds to environmental gradation during winter months. In addition, the ambient air quality in winter gets worsened due to reduced rainfall leading to dust getting air borne as well as low level of settling of suspended particulate matter. The Board has observed that the coal consumed by brick kilns during winter months is about 12.0 tonn per one lac bricks as compared to the summer season when it is 10tonn per lac bricks and therefore increased coal consumption create harmful effects on environment.
The ppcb Chairman, KS Pannu said that to combat this fall in ambient air quality the Board had already issued direction to the brick kilns to switch over to the new Zig-Zag technology by next season which will increase the production capacity of brick kilns by about 15%. This increase in capacity shall offset the loss of production of bricks, if any, due to non-operation of brick kilns in the winter months. Hence it is now proposed that these bricks kilns shall operate from 1st February to September 30 every year which shall improve the ambient air quality in Punjab in the winter months.
He further said that a 30 days’ notice have been issued by the Board inviting suggestion or objection or both from the stake holder, general Public or Brick kiln owners or individuals in this regard.