Mining ban,shut kilns to spike construction cost

There are nearly 2,700 brick kilns in the state and each produces nearly 70 lakh bricks per season,which stretches for ten months. Talking to The Indian Express,Kuldeep Singh Makkar,president of Punjab Brick Kiln Association said: “With the high court ordering us to seek environment clearance,all 2,700 brick kilns have closed down.”

He said that Industries Minister Anil Joshi has assured the association that the state government will move the court to plead as a party in mining case before the next date of hearing. “The case is from Haryana but orders are for both Punjab and Haryana,” he added.

Makkar said thatbrick prices will go up as the stocks are depleting.

On the other hand,there are 540 gravel (crusher) mines in the state mainly at Ropar,Mohali,Hoshiarpur and Pathankot districts. These mines were closed down by the industries department after a court directive that all the mines have to acquire environment clearance certificates. The mines which are between five hectares to 50 hectares have to get an environment clearance certificate from the Punjab Pollution Control Board,and mines above that have to get the clearance certificate from the Central Pollution Control Board. So far,none of them have got the certificates.

The situation is nearly similar with sand mines. Sources said that after the court orders last week,some 112 sand mines,which are less than five hectares are also closed. As for the sand mines between five to 50 hectares,environmental clearance is needed from the state impact assessment committee,with which,there are nine applications pending. The state government got the clearance of 25 quarries last month from the committee and now it plans to auction them. For the mines bigger than 50 hectares,clearance is required from the central pollution board and thus 89 applications are pending there.