Hilal Hashmi

Srinagar, May 5 (KNS): Divisional Commissioner Kashmir P K Pole today said that brick klins can start their operations if they adhere to Standard Operating Procedure(SOP).
He told this to Brick Manufacturing Owners Association who called on him Divisional Commissioner asked them to submit all the necessary details for starting the manufacturing process and also the details regarding transportation of labourers from other states, so that the same could be considered at an earliest.
The delegation of Kashmir Brick Manufacturers Association has met the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, P K Pole for permission of brick manufacturing activities during this working season as uncertainty prevails on brick manufacturing industry also amidst covid-19 lockdown as thousands of labourers need to be ferried to kashmir for manufacturing to start.

" There are more than 300 brick kilns in Kashmir and the manufacturing season starts from May every year" said the president of association Zahoor Ahmad Malik, elaborating , " the brick kiln owners need to transport thousands of labourers from other states which include Punjab, Haryana,UP, Bihar, MP and Chhattisgarh. Kashmir is the only state of India where brick kilns are functional during summer season and thousands of brick kiln labourers earn their livelihood in Kashmir. Closedown of brick kilns in Kashmir means thousands of these labourers without work, which would lead them to starvation. " he said.

Agreeing to the fact that the running of brick kilns is important for over all development of the UT, Divisional Commissioner Running off brick kilns this year can be considered if all the precautionary measures and SOP's are adhere to by the Brick Kiln Owners: Div Com Kashmir

"Will follow all the guidelines in letter and spirit", Brick Manufacturers Association Kashmir

A delegation of Kashmir Brick Manufacturers Association met the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, P K Pole for permission of brick manufacturing activities during this working season as uncertainty prevails on brick manufacturing industry also amidst covid-19 lockdown as thousands of labourers need to be ferried to kashmir for manufacturing to start.

" There are more than 300 brick kilns in Kashmir and the manufacturing season starts from May every year" said the president of association Mr. Zahoor Ahmad Malik, elaborating , " the brick kiln owners need to transport thousands of labourers from other states which include Punjab, Haryana,UP, Bihar, MP and Chhattisgarh. Kashmir is the only state of India where brick kilns are functional during summer season and thousands of brick kiln labourers earn their livelihood in Kashmir. Closedown of brick kilns in Kashmir means thousands of these labourers without work, which would lead them to starvation. " said the president.

Agreeing to the fact that the running of brick kilns is important for over all development of the UT, Divisional Commissioner said the Administration can consider their plea if the brick kiln owners assure to follow the SOP's and adhere to all the guidelines regarding social distancing, use of face masks, hand washing, sanitization, cleanliness etc while running the brick klins.

The running of brick kilns was fascilitated in Jammu division after the Association met the LG in Jammu.

Manufacturing of bricks is essential for developmental activities of the UT, as vital developmental projects require lakhs of bricks for completion.

"Brick is the important component of all the building projects and non availability of bricks will severely hamper the completion of the project, which will ultimately lead to missing of the deadline for the completion of the project" Chief Engineer R&B, Kashmir Sami Arif told KNS.

There are estimates that more than a billion bricks are manufactured every year in Kashmir for sale to government as well as to private sector, said Samir Ashraf, an "A" class contractor. "if brick manufacturing does not start at an earliest, there would be mismatch between supply and demand and the rates for the available stocks would escalate drastically" he said.

Also the prohibition for the transportation of the bricks during lockdown has suffered the housing sector in Kashmir immensely.

"I am thinking of a plan for the construction of my dream house from last five years, and it was all done to start the brick work on my already constructed plinth this year. But I am struggling to get the bricks from the kiln as the movement of construction material is prohibited" said Abdul Rashid of Kupwara, who had finalized to start the construction this year positively.(KNS)