All the 560 brick kilns in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be converted to Supreme Court approved Zig-Zag technology by February 2025 while as within 10 kilometer radius of Non-Attainment Cities of Jammu and Srinagar, brick kilns without this technology will not be permitted to operate beyond February this year.
The adoption of this technology in the brick kiln industry will help in reducing the harmful emission of particulate matter and gaseous pollutants while improving the sector’s efficiency, reducing costs for owners and protecting workers.
In the report dated January 2, 2024, the Member Secretary Pollution Control Committee has submitted that a total of 560 brick kilns are existing in Jammu and Kashmir and out of this, 415 brick kilns have obtained/applied for consent from J&K Pollution Control Committee.
“A total of 201 brick kilns have been converted to Zig-Zag technology as on December 31, 2023 and directions have been issued for the closure of 125 brick kilns for violation during the calendar year 2023”, the report said.
In compliance to High Court of J&K orders issued from time to time, brick kilns within eight kilometers radius of Srinagar Airport runway are not permitted to function from November 1 to March 31 and 85 non complying brick kilns have been ordered to be closed by the J&K Pollution Control Committee in district Budgam and the closure orders are being implemented by the District Administration.
In 10 kilometer radius of Non-Attainment Cities of Jammu/Srinagar, brick kilns without Zig-Zag technology shall not be permitted to operate beyond February 2024 while as in rest of the areas (other than Non-attainment Cities) the brick kilns will be directed to convert to Zig-Zag Technology by or before February 2025.
The new brick kilns have been mandated to use piped natural gas (PNG) as fuel in the brick-making process while the existing one have been allowed to use only approved fuel such as coal, fire wood and/or agricultural residues besides PNG. Zig-Zag technology—stacking the bricks in a Zig Zag pattern instead of straight line, reduces coal consumption and produces cost-efficient, better-quality bricks with significantly lower emissions.
