Toxic gas from kiln damages paddy
Toxic gas emitted from a brick kiln in Ambikapur union of Sadar upazila has badly damaged ripe paddy on nearly 10 acres of land around it.
Locals said a brick kiln named Osman Auto Brick was set up on 3.63 acres of land at Dhuldi Gopalpur village in 2010 and started production in 2017. Since then, the kiln has been emitting toxic gas, burning the paddy fields and significantly reducing the yield of paddy.
Farmer Ramjan Kha, 45, of the village, said he cultivated paddy on three bighas of land near the brick kiln this year, but it was damaged by the toxic gas.
Abbas Kha of the same area said the farmers of the area have not been cultivating any crops for one and a half years due to the gas.
Rajaul Kha said they informed Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ommy Salma Tanzia and the environment department about the problem last year.
"The DC visited our fields and said she would take necessary steps, but no step has been taken as yet," he said.
Jinna Mandol, former member of Ambikapur Union Parishad, said onion seeds, jute and paddy on 10 acres of land in that area were damaged by the gas last year.
Jahangir Alam, general manager of Osman Auto Brick, said, “Local people complained to different government departments against this brick kiln. Officials from the environment and agriculture departments came and examined the crops of this area, but they did not find any toxicity here.”
The DC said farmers of that area came to her and told her about their suffering and she visited the area.
"I then told the environment department to solve the problem," she added.
“We did not give that brick kiln any environment certificate, so the district administration can take steps against the kiln. We will cooperate if they want,” said Lutfor Rahman, deputy director of Faridpur environment department.
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