No action against illegal brick kilns despite order

"owners of the three kilns are preparing to sell bricks"

Statesman News Service

MALDA, 5 MAY: Despite Malda district magistrate’s order to demolish eight illegal brick kilns in Kaliachak-II block area, no action has been taken by police to save mango orchards in this region.

Since the first week of April the mango growers in Kaliachak-II have been demanding action against brick kilns to save their crop.

The cultivators are now suffering from a major financial crisis, having lost a huge amount of young mangoes to a disease, which blackens the tip of the fruits, resulting from some from the brick kilns.

After the farmers lodged a complaints with district horticulture department and land and land reforms department, the district magistrate, Mr Sridhar Ghosh , had sent a list naming eight illegal brick kilns to the Malda SP, Mr Bhuban Mandal, on 30 April and requested him to take action against them.

Mr Mandal said: “I was out of district for a few days. I am looking into the matter”.

Today, two mango farmers, Mr Rohit Mandal and Mr Shis Ali, complained to the district horticulture department authorities that no action has been taken against brick kilns owners.

Out of the eight kilns, some are in Kalachandtola under Uttar Lakshmipur gram panchahayt in Kailachak-II. One owner, Mr Saifuddin Sheikh yesterday fired the kilns. Once the burning is completed, Mr Karimuddin Sheikh, Mr Menajul Ali and Mr Tajamul, owners of the three kilns are preparing to sell bricks.