Sar-i-Pul residents want bricks kilns removed from residential area

SAR-I-PUL (Pajhwok): Some residents in northern Sar-i-Pul province have complained against the brick kiln close to residential places saying it caused air pollution for the inhabitants.

Halim Shah, the resident of Syedabad village in Sar-i-Pul City, the provincial capital, said a brick kiln is active in their village from the past some years.

He said the fog produced by the kiln had put the lives of local in danger and it always descended on houses and crops.

He added local residents always complained to the former and current authorities on the problem but their complaints had not been addressed so far.

Hassan, the resident of Sherabad area, said so far no institutions had inspected the presence of bricks kilns in the residential places.

“If we hang our clothes on the rope for drying or sleep outside the fog descend on us,” he said.

Tahir, one of the kiln owner in Sherabad area said: “It is true that we have a brick kiln on the outskirts of the village but so far nobody complained against this, if people and authorities provide another place for us we have no problem with this.”

Ghulam Ali, another kiln owner, said he installed filter on this kiln and the fog coming out of filter posed no threat to the people.

Abdul Hafeez Mohammadi, Director Public Relations for the Environmental Protection Department, acknowledged public complaints in this regard and said the presence of bricks kiln caused health issues for the people and problems for their crops.

He said they held four meetings with relevant authorities to address this issue.

Mohammadi said that bricks kiln would be transferred to another place and they will be awarded licensee after a proper mechanism is developed in this regard.

According to the Commerce and Industry Department currently 12 bricks kilns are operating on the outskirts of Sar-i-Pul City.

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