Bhograi: Illegal brick kilns have mushroomed along the banks of river Subarnarekha in Balasore district while the administration has allegedly taken no steps to put curbs on these units. The kilns are reportedly contributing to air pollution in the entire region.
Locals alleged such illegal activities are on the rise due to an unholy nexus between some unscrupulous revenue officials and brick kiln owners.
The growth of brick kilns has also left an adverse impact on farmlands, which are shrinking by the day, they rued.
Besides, the brick kilns have led to soil erosion and weakened the river embankments at many places owing to huge craters created after mining.
In these days of summer, burning of bricks has added to the prevailing heat wave condition in the region while black smokes have been sweeping the atmosphere in the peripheral habitations where life has become miserable, locals lamented.
Environmentalists have expressed their concern over the impact such illegal units have on the green cover of the region.
Hundreds of brick kilns are found in various parts of Bhograi, Jaleswar, Balipal and Basta blocks.
In Bhograi, these pollutant units continue to operate in the stretch between Batagram Bhuabandh and Kirtania and another stretch between Bhograi Lock and Ulluda.
Such units are a common sight in Makidia, Olamara, Gopalprasad, Mohammed Patana, Chalanti, Sheikhsarai, Laxmannath Road, Gobarghota and Rajghat in Jaleswar block.
Air pollution and a rise in atmospheric temperature caused by the kilns are also reported from Jamkunda, Debhog, Bishnupur in Baliapal and some areas in Basta.
Locals complained of health hazards caused by the air pollution.
Brick kiln owners have engaged tribals and even their children from Mayurbhanj, Jharkhand and West Bengal to work in hazardous condition.
Most of these units do not have clearance certificates from the Odisha State Pollution Control Board.
When contacted, Bhograi tehsildar Ramchandra Kisku said action will be taken against the illegal brick kiln owners.