ISLAMABAD – Brick-kilns emitting poisonous smoke, which is deteriorating air quality of Rawalpindi and Islamabad but the authorities concerned have turned a blind eye to the environmental degradation.
Years ago, the Environment Ministry had identified 95 kilns in Rawalpindi and Islamabad as injurious to environment and planned to demolish them for pollution-free environment but the Environment Ministry officials demolished only those 27 kilns in Loi Bher whose owners already wanted to demolish them to make a housing scheme on that land.
Environment experts says that removal of only 27 kilns will not help reducing hazardous emissions and great efforts are required to address serious issues emanating from air pollution, including fatal diseases such as cancer.
An Environment Ministry official, who requested anonymity, told Pakistan Today that nearly 38,000 metric tons of coal per month was burnt in Islamabad and Rawalpindi for brick production and the sulphurous smoke emitted by many primitive kilns surrounding the cities had become one of the major factors in degrading the air quality.
He said, “The ministry and Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency are always busy in blaming each other for the deploring condition of city’s environment but no one is interested in taking some practical step for betterment.”
He said that unfortunately there was no effective system for regulating or leasing clay pits and kilns, adding that it was necessary for authorities concerned to introduce vertical shaft brick kiln technology (3G-VSBK). Established in Lohi Bher area with the help of Swiss Agency for Development and Corporation (SDC), these kilns can pave the way for new technology to reduce environmental degradation in the twin cities.
According to experts, the 3G-VSBK is a new Chinese brick manufacturing technology, combining with the energy efficient firing of the vertical kiln with the traditional slow cooling, which is most efficient and can potentially save coal’s huge quantity.
this is the good one. These environmental considerations must be in the mind of the maker of these kilns that these kilns produces many harmful gases that do a lot damages to lungs of the workers of these kilns.
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