State Minister monitors brick kilns: Action will be taken if not in accordance with law

KATHMANDU: State Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Bimala Bishwakarma has monitored the brick kiln in Lalitpur’s Mahalakshmi Municipality.

Minister Bishwakarma had visited the site to monitor the situation after a local complained that there was excessive pollution due to smoke coming out of brick kilns in her town.

A team including State Minister Bishwakarma and Director General of the Department of Industry Jiblal Bhusal had reached Mahalakshmi Municipality on Wednesday for monitoring. Minister Bishwakarma monitored the RK brick chimney and KC brick kiln in Mahalakshmi Municipality-4.

Minister Bishwakarma said that the brick kilns, which were operating in a manner that polluted the city, were operating illegally.” The brick kiln operated here has affected the locals a lot. We are taking action according to the law”, said the State Minister. “The brick kiln operated at the local level is managed by the provincial government. I will discuss it with them.” 

Locals of Mahalakshmi Municipality have been affected by the smoke coming out of the brick kiln for the past two decades.

Director-General of the Department of Industries Bhusal, who participated in the observation with Minister Bishwakarma, said that he also examined the documents of the kiln.

“We checked the condition of the operated kiln along with the documents. It seems to have affected the locals. As it is under the purview of the provincial government, we will move ahead for the management of this once we coordinate with the provincial government,” said Director General Bhusal.