FIELD NOTES FROM A BRICK KILN https://www.themigrationstory.com/copy-of-story1 Anuradha Nagaraj Phasing out of traditional clay bricks for eco-friendly fly ash triggers fears in vast unorganised sector of loss of livelihood
Most of the traditional kilns have towering chimneys, with a trail of black smoke snaking out of them into the sky. The pollution is attributed to the inefficient burning of coal, which is a result of the structure of the kiln and the way bricks are stacked in them to bake.
Brick kiln owners are being pushed to adopt the less polluting zig-zag technology or the use of piped natural gas as fuel to fire the chimney. They have also been encouraged to use bricks made of fly ash, a byproduct of coal fueled power plants, which reduce carbon emissions.
Avinash Kumar, a programme officer at the think tank Development Alternatives, said more effective communication was needed to explain the changes to all stakeholders, including the workers, to ensure that clean technology is adopted.
“Misinformation also fuels fear and every time a government order comes there is fear of closure and job loss,” Kumar said.
“This change is inevitable and instead of building resistance to it, measures have to be taken to inform people, provide financial and technical support, while running skilling programmes for workers.”