Action taken report on brick kilns in Uttar Pradesh, 27/02/2020
Action taken report in compliance of order date 26/11/2019 passed in OA No 550/2019 in the matter of Rajbeer Singh versus State of Uttar Pradesh dated 27/02/2020. The matter relates to brick kilns in Uttar Pradesh.
Pursuant to the NGT directions the status of 525 brick kilns was prepared along with the date of establishment of the brick kilns. Around 476 brick kilns were established prior to June 27, 2012 and 49 brick kilns that date. June 27, 2012 was the date from which guidelines of Uttar Pradesh Brick Kilns (Siting Criteria for Establishment) Rules, 2012 was applicable. Out of 525 brick kilns, 328 had valid consent. Consent has been granted to those brick kilns only which have been converted into 'high-draft zigzag technology' and there are no pending complaint against those brick kilns.
Ambient air quality monitoring was done at different places in district Baghpat at different locations which have a cluster of brick kilns. Air pollution has been higher than norms. The report also noted that the number of brick kilns are very high in district Bagphat and there should not be any further increase in brick kilns.
One of the recommendations of the report was not allowing any new brick kilns in the district and no license should be given by Zila Panchayat, district mining officer and the revenue department. This would ensure that air quality does not deteriorate further.