CSE organises workshop on cleaner brick production'

TIRUPATI: In a bid to improve the environmental and energy performance of brick kilns in Andhra Pradesh and to give a call to all the brick kiln industries to adopt cleaner technologies and ensure reduced pollution levels, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) organised a workshop titled "Cleaner Brick Production" on Thursday in Tirupati in collaboration with the AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB), Vijayawada. 

The workshop held a discussion on the future road map of the brick kiln sector and how the brick sector in AP was assimilating itself with new rules and regulations pertaining to both technology conversion and mining.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Nivit Kumar Yadav, senior programme manager at CSE, said, "There is a CPCB order which says all brick kilns are to be converted into induced draft. 

The brick kilns in AP should change and innovate to remain relevant. However, no initiative has been taken in AP to work with clamp kilns and prepare a road map for them.”

CSE also came up with a document, “National Brick Mission (NBM)” which envisages how the sector should transform to reduce its energy and emissions in next 15 years. There is talk of resource efficient bricks in order to reduce the overall electricity load of a building. However, the red clay brick sector has taken little initiative to change its product. “The NBM suggests different options including mechanisation which will not only reduce energy consumption but will also enable the entrepreneurs to develop resource efficient bricks. 

Research and training institutes at the regional level can work directly with entrepreneurs to encourage utilisation of waste to replace clay, improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. A consolidated approach of all stakeholders is to be emphasised for the development of the road map of the sector,” he explained.

He further stated that financial Institutions needed to come up with some tailor-made financial schemes for the brick sector which would help them in transformation from older, less-efficient technologies to cleaner and energy-efficient technology. Mr Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general of CSE and other officials of APPCB were present.