Brick industries instructed to stop baking bricks in Sarlahi

By Our Correspondent,Sarlahi, Dec. 21: Brick industries operating in districts of Madhes Province, including Sarlahi, have been instructed to stop baking bricks in the fire until mid-January 2025.

Sanjiv Dwivedi, chief of the Cottage and Small Industries Office, Sarlahi, said that a letter has been received from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism asking them to stop baking bricks until mid-January 2025.

The letter maintained that  bricks should be baked only after mid-January of each year to control pollution from the brick industry and to take into account the health of workers.

The brick industry starts laying bricks in a hurry and during the winter season, the bricks are baked putting them in furnace. 

After the government asked to stop baking bricks immediately, the brick industries were in problem.

Around 13 industries in Sarlahi have already started baking bricks. A meeting was held on Thursday between the brick industries of the district, security officials and other stakeholders to discuss the issue.

The meeting decided to allow the kilns that have already started baking bricks to operate, while others will start the process only after mid-January, said Hom Prasad Ghimire, Assistant Chief District Officer of Sarlahi. 

Over 60 brick kilns in Sarlahi are producing bricks this year. The industries are currently preparing raw clay and employing workers to lay bricks. 

If the brick industries are not allowed to bake the bricks in fire, there is a fear that the raw bricks being prepared now will get destroyed if it rains, said Bhagwan Mainali, secretary at the Brick Industry Entrepreneurs Association, Sarlahi.

Mainali said that they were ready to comply with the government's decision. 

He complained that the decision to allow the brick industries that have already started baking bricks to operate and keep the industries that have not started baking bricks closed would be unfair.