Chhatrapur: Illegal brick kilns thriving on the growing demand for construction materials have blighted various places in Chhatrapur, Ganjam and other blocks of Ganjam district. The brick kilns have come up on the banks of Rushikulya river in the district.
In many cases, the brick kilns employ labourers from outside of the state. They are not paid salaries regularly and child labour is rampant at these sweatshops.
According to sources, these bricks kilns did not provide any facilities to their labourers during the severe cyclonic storm Fani. As a result, more than 80 labourers left the kilns and reported their plight to Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange who arranged food and sent them home with full security.
The brick kilns, many of which run without any licence, are sealed now and fines worth Rs 40,000 have been imposed on them for malpractices. Managers of these kilns have been given show cause notices by the Collector office.
