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The kiln was granted consent to operate under the Air Act, 1981 vide no. A/MKT-1/221/F-158 dt. 24.02.2003 for operation of brick kiln to manufacture bricks & tiles @ 20,000 nos./day, subject to the conditions mentioned therein, valid for a period upto 16.02.2018 under red category.
Now, the industry has applied for consent to operate under the Air Act, 1981 in orange category on 09.07.2018 as per the prevailing policy. The details of the case are as under:-
• The brick kiln has submitted copy of lease land for site in the revenue estate of village Dabra, valid for a period upto 11/2019.
• The kiln has submitted certificate of C.A regarding its gross fixed assets is less than Rs. 25 lacs as on 09.07.2018 and has deposited consent fee of Rs. 6000/- vide R.no. 73/4758 dt 18.07.2018. under Air Act, 1981, which is adequate for a period upto 31.03.2019.
"The matter regarding grant of consent to operate & obtaining environmental clearance under EIA notification for mining of brick clay to the Brick kiln was considered in light of the representation made by the Punjab Brick Kiln Owner Association. After careful consideration of practice being followed in other neighbouring States and in view of the f acts that now, the MoEF has constituted DIEAA & DEACs' for the grant of environmental clearance to the brick kiln owners for mining of brick earth at District Headquarters instead of, at one place by the SEIAA /SEAC, it has been decided as under:
1) Environmental Clearance for mining of brick earth will not be a pre - requisite for the grant of consent to operate to the Brick kilns. The 'consent to operate' shall be issued to the brick kilns, subject to the condition that the BKO will obtain Environmental Clearance under EIA notification for mining of brick clay to be used as raw material for the manufacture of Bricks. 2) The validity period of 'Consent to operate' shall be for 10 years or for the period for which consent fee has been deposited, whichever is earlier, as the brick kiln industries falls under 'Orange Category' as per the latest categorization of industries by CPCB.
These orders are issued with the approval of Competent Authority and come into force with immediate effect."
Now, in July 2017, Central Pollution Control Board, New Delhi vide its letter no. 489 dated 28.06.2017 has issued following directions under section 18 (1b) of the Air Act, 1981 to Punjab Pollution Control Board for improving the quality of ambient air: -
(i) All the brick kilns operating without permission and valid consent from SPCBs, not meeting/prescribed norms and siting guidelines be closed down with immediate effect.
(ii) Provide status on conversion of natural draft to induced draft brick kiln (with rectangular kiln shape and zigzag brick setting).
(iii) Enforce strictly the siting criteria guideline for brick kiln.
(iv) All the moving area around the main brick kiln should be paved with the bricks to minimize the fugitive dust emissions from the brick kiln operations. This conditi on should be incorporated in the consent condition, while granting the consent by the respective State Boards.
(v) Ensure that fine dust not to accumulate all around the brick kiln.
Also, vide Head Office letter no. SEE(HQ-2)/2017/1043 dated 08.11.2017, it was ordered as under: - “ Whereas , the Central Pollution Control Board ( C P C B ) vide its letter No. I P C V(SSI)/Brick kiln/2017/4897 dtd. June 27, 2017 has issued directions u/s 18(1)(b) of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 to the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) regarding conversion of the brick kilns working on natural draft to induced draft with rectangular kiln shape and zig - zag brick setting, so as to have effective control over the air pollution caused by the brick kilns. And whereas, the Punjab State Council for Science & Technology (PSCST) has developed an Induced Draft Technology with zig - zag firing for the brick kilns which has been approved by the Board vide its letter no. SEE(HQ - 2)/2017/34596 dated 24.8.2017. And whereas, various meetings were taken by the Chairman of the Board and other officers of the Board with the Brick Kiln Owner's Associations since July, 2017, regarding adoption of the Induced Draft Technology at the earliest in which the brick kiln owners have accepted to adopt the new technology as early
as possible. In view of the above, it has now been decided that the consents to operate to the brick kilns shall be renewed up to 31.03.2019 with the condition that these brick kilns shall adopt the Induced Draft Technology by such time. The brick kilns which have already adopted the Induced Draft Technology with zig zag firing and has obtained completion - cum - adequacy certificate to this effect from the PSCST, the consent to operate shall be issued for a period of five years , which would culminate on 30th of September. This issues with the approval of the competent authority in the Board.”
The brick kiln was visited on 12.07.2018 by undersigned and it was observed as under: -
1. The kiln was not in operation.
2. The kiln has provided a ladder and a platform with the stack to facilitate emission sampling.
3. The kiln has stabilized the periphery road / movement area with keri so as to suppress the dust emission generated during the vehicle movement.
4. No unauthorized fuel was observed present at the site of the kiln.
5. The kiln has provided adequate plantation all along its boundary.
6. The kiln has not yet adopted the induced draft zig-zag technology.
The kiln is complying with the provisions of the Air Act, 1981 and with the specific guidelines of the Board for brick kilns.
Recommendations:
G
Keeping in view of above, it is recommended that consent to operate under the Air Act, 1981
may be granted to the kiln for production of bricks & tiles @ 12,000 no./day under orange category for a period up to 31.03.2019, subject to the suitable conditions along with the following specific conditions as under: -
A. (i) All the moving area around the main brick kiln should be paved with the bricks to minimize the fugitive dust emissions from the bric k kiln operations as per the directions of Central Pollution Control Board, New Delhi so that fine dust does not get accumulated all around the brick kiln.
(ii) The BKO will obtain Environmental Clearance under EIA notification for mining of brick clay to be used as raw material for the manufacture of bricks and submit the same, within two months.
(iii) The BKO will get its emission sample analyzed from Board's lab, within one month during the kiln season 2018-19 and submit copy of report to the Board.
B. The brick kiln shall adopt induced draft technology with zig-zag firing by 31.03.2019 and obtain completion-cum-adequacy certificate to this effect from the PSCST, Chandigarh.
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