38 brick kilns to be shut down in Sundargarh

Rourkela: Sundargarh collector Bhupinder Singh Punia on Friday ordered the closure of 38 red brick kiln units in the district. They were allegedly being run without the consent.
There are around 85 brick manufacturing units in Sundargarh and most of these are allegedly flouting the government guidelines. The regional office of the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) inspected these units last month and recommended closure of 38 of them, official sources said.
These units in Lathikata, Rajgagnpur, Bisra and Kuanrmunda blocks were functioning without the consent to operate from the OSPCB, the sources added.
"The process to close down these units will begin from Saturday. Tehsildars and block development officers along with OSPCB officials will enforce the order," the collector said.
Some of these units were in news recently for illegally drawing water from the Koel river despite the district reeling under acute shortage of water. The administration seized three pumps sets and initiated action against the brick manufacturers.