“ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF CLAY MINING

FOR BRICK KILNS AT PATNA, NALANDA AND

GAYA DISTRICT OF BIHAR”

SUBMITTED BY:
SANJEEV KUMAR
MD. WALIULLAH
RAVINANDAN VISHWAKARMA

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND WATER

MANAGEMENT
ANUGRAH NARAYAN COLLEGE PATNA
BIHAR-800013
2012-14
 CONTENT
 Introduction
 Objectives
 Materials & Method
 Results
 Discussions
 Recommendations
 References
 INTRODUCTION
 Degradation of natural resource is a serious problem of the world today.
 Land degradation decline the productive capacity of the land.
 Soil also called “Skin of the Earth”, which protect the environment and
serve as a basis for food security.
 Clay mining is becoming an environmental issue as the demand for soil
increases in brick industry and construction.
 Clay fired bricks are one of the most important building materials in
India.
 Building construction in India is estimated to grow at a rate of 6.6% per
year between 2005 & 2030 (Greentech Knowledge Solutions, NewDelhi).
 Indian brick kiln industry is the 2nd largest producer of brick in the world
accounting for more than 10% of global production.
 Mining is a major contributor (2’nd) to the national GDP (4%) occupying
36 lakh hectare. (0.11%) of total land area (329 m ha) and providing
employment generation (4 %) for 1.1 million people of the country.
 Contd….

 About 1,00,000 brick kilns operate in India.

 150-200 billion brick production annually.
 10 million workers are employing in this sector.
 25 billion tonnes of coal consumed annually making brick industry as
one of the largest energy consuming industry in the country. (Entec AG,
Hanoi).
 The Gangetic plain of North India accounts for about 65% of the total
brick production.
 Combustion of coal and other biomass fuels in brick kilns results to the
emissions of particulate matter (PM), including Black Carbon (BC),
sulphur dioxide (SO2), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and carbon monoxide
(CO).
Brick Making Process:
Clay
winning
and soil
preparation

Moulding/
Brick
Brick
extraction
formation

Brick
Brick
firing and
drying
cooling
Clay winning and soil preparation Brick formation

Brick making process

Brick Drying Brick Extraction
Brick Extraction Red Bricks(final output)
◦ Mining is 2nd contributor to the national GDP(4%) occupying 36
lakh hectares.
◦ India’s brick sector is characterised by traditional firing
technologies, environmental pollution, reliance on manual labour,
and low mechanization rate.

TYPES OF BRICK KILN PREVALNET IN INDIA:

1. Fixed Chimney Bull’s Trench Kiln (70%)
2. Zig-Zag Kiln (2-3%)
3. Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln (1-2%)
4. Down-Draught Kiln (25%)
5. Tunnel Kiln
 Contd…

Projected increase in building area in India

Source: Environmental and Energy Sustainability: An Approach for

India, McKinsey & Co, August 2009
Major Challenges for Brick Kiln
 Shortage of labour
 Increase in fuel cost
 Competition from other walling materials
 Multiple barriers to adopting semi-mechanised technologies.
Brick kiln technologies currently prevalent in India
Approximate
Kiln Type Regional spread contribution
in brick
production

Clamps Central, West and Southern India 25%

Fixed chimney Indo-Gangetic plains (North and East India)
BTK and several clusters in South and West India 70%

Zig-zag West Bengal, a few clusters in North India 2-3%

1-2%
VSBK Central India
 Contd…

Administration &
Legal
8%
Losses*
6%

Fuel
Raw Material 44%
13%

Operation
28%

Total Production Cost:- Rs. 4.35/Brick

*Losses depends upon the season

Objectives of the study

 To study environmental impacts of clay mining project in Bihar.

 To study the social and health status of workers employed in brick
kiln project.
 To understand energy efficiency of brick kiln in comparing with
different design criteria.
 To find out whether Environmental Clearance is necessary or not for
clay mining project.
 Materials & Method
 Adopted questionnaire method for data collection.

 Brick Kiln survey.

 Questionnaire was filled in interview with the owner & manager

(munsi) ,workers.

 Questionnaire consists information about land requirement, land

prices, labour cost & availability, market, fuel cost and supply,
firing process, transportation, losses etc.

 Used Garmin GPS and Nikon Koolpix camera.

 Google Earth for mapping and co-ordinate location.

Camera & GPS Questionnaire
Questionnaire filling in work site
GPS location track on worksite
Selection of the site

 Based on the time and resources available we have decided to take

four sites to fulfil our objectives.
Name of site No. Of brick kilns
Nalanda Dumbramba 2 kiln
Bind 1 kiln
Badalpur 1 kiln
Rajgir 1 kiln
Danapur, Maner Shahpur 5 kiln
Chitnawan 2kiln
Sherpur 7 kiln

Patna Saheb Malsalami 7 kiln

BundeltoliNoorjiganj 1 kiln
DumrahiGhat 2 kiln
Gaya Maranpur 2 kiln
Bansibigha 1 kiln
Google Map of study area

Sherpur,Chhitnawan(Patna),25.6333° N,85.0500° E
 Contd…

Nalanda(25°08′12″N 85°26′38″E)
 Contd…

City,Malsalami(Patna Saheb),25°35’10”N,85°11’4”E
 Contd…

Gaya(24° 45′ 0″ N, 85° 0′ 36″ E)

 Results

 The minimum number of worker working during the operation

period at each kiln was 40 and maximum it was 150. The average
95 workers were working at each brick kiln or worksite.
 We found that 61% workers were in age group 15-30 year, 33%
were 30-60 year and 6% were less than 15 year (Child labour).
 19% brick kiln owner pay workers in advance and 81% pay after
the completion of work.
 Monthly income of 77% of the total workers at the worksite is
around ₹6000-8000, 12% earn ₹4000- 6000 and rest 11% earn less
than ₹4000.
 During off season 64% workers have no land they work in others
farmland for their livelihood. 31% of workers remains jobless
during the off season period (July-Oct).
Child Labour Low wages
 Contd…

 75% of the brick kiln owner has given the importance to the workers
health they have provided First Aid kit at the worksite where 25% has
not provided any medical facility to the worker.
 At the worksite only 56% of the total has provided potable water for the
livelihood of worker.
 Diseases suffered by children at worksite.

18%

Cold
39% Weaknes
Headache
15%
Skin disease
Loose motion
Fever

15%
3%
10%
Diseases Suffered by Children
Shelter condition of workers
Shelter & Sanitation
0%

16%

Very Poor
Poor
50% Good
Very Good
34%

Shelter & Sanitation is very poor at the worksite only 16% owner has
provided good shelter for the workers.
Shelter Conditions of worker
Fuel used for cooking by workers

32

23

8
5

LPG Wood, leaf Coal Coal, Wood, Cow dung, Leaf

From the above graph it is evident that most of the workers family uses coal for
cooking followed by cow dung, wood, leaf etc.
 Impact of brick kiln on local surrounding
32

28

24
Number of Brick Kiln

20

16

12

0
Direct Indirect No Impact
Impact
 Status of land after mining

Other Usage
22%

Abandoned
78%

Most of the brick kiln owner left their mining land in the abandoned condition. After
the rainy season the land gets filled with water and it causes several disease. 22% of
kiln owner use the land for other purposes. They use it for fishries, vermi composting
etc.
Raw material used in Brick Production

Raw Material Used

Husk etc
5%

Sand/fly ash
15%

Soil
80%

Most of the brick kiln owner left their mining land in the abandoned
condition. After the rainy season the land gets filled with water and it
causes several disease. 22% of kiln owner use the land for other purposes.
They use it for fisheries, vermi composting etc.
 Mode of disposal of waste
32

28

24
Number of Brick Kilns

20

16

12

0
Nearby land Near Water Body Others
Disposal Site

Waste disposal is a key issue at the worksite there is no proper mode of

disposal facility. They dispose the waste at the nearby land which is an
unhygienic practice, it causes several diseases.
Comparison between the brick kiln site near
Ganga and away from Ganga
Near River Ganga Away From Ganga

Production Cost in ₹ 4 - 4.50 per brick 2.50 - 3 per brick

Selling Price in ₹ 7.20 - 8.50 per brick 4.50 – 5 per brick

Distance between Minimg area and Kiln 200 meter 2 kilometer

Distance between two Brick Kiln <500 meter >500 meter

Weight of green brick 4 – 5 kg 3 – 4 kg

Monthly income of worker (in ₹) >6000 <6000

Type of clay used Sandy clay Kaival, balsundari

Cost of mining area per Bigha (in₹) 60,000 - 1,00,000 15,000 – 20,000

Working period 6 month 6 – 7 month

Prodution round in one year 3–5 5–7

 QUALIFICATION OF BRICK KILN OWNER

Graduate & above

16%
Below Matric
28%

Intermediate
22%

Matric
34%

From the above graph it is evident that owner with higher educational
qualification are aware about the environment
 QUALIFICATION OF BRICK KILN OWNER

Graduate & above

16%
Below Matric
28%

Intermediate
22%

Matric
34%

From the above graph it is evident that owner with higher educational
qualification are aware about the environment
 Awareness Score of brick kiln owner
32

28

24
Number of Brick Kiln Owner

20

16

12

0
Highly Unaware Unaware Aware Highly Aware
Awareness Score

In our questionnaire there were five questions (Q no. 54 – 58) which was related to
environmental awareness. On the basis of question and their educational qualification
we get to the result that brick kiln owner are highly unaware about the environmental
issues. On every question we put 20 marks. On this basis we divided it into four classes.
Discussions
The present study shows that there exist some major gaps in the
brick industry

 Production statistics

 Structure of the sector (significant regional differences)

 Type of fuel used

 Types of technologies

 Future evolution (projections)

 Availability and costs of new technologies

To achieve these goals, recommendations to Government of India, includes:

Environmental regulations can be amended to phase-out FCBTKs and

replace them with cleaner brick firing technologies. Any action on
environmental regulations needs to be supported by complementary
supporting actions, which may include:
 Preparation of standard zig-zag and other cleaner kiln technology knowledge
packages (containing design, construction and operation guidelines).
 Training and certifying a cadre of technology providers in cleaner brick
firing technologies.
 Educating/training brick kiln owners, supervisors and workers in cleaner
brick firing technologies.
 Supporting a modest R&D programme to consider improvements in zig-zag
firing package, e.g. mechanical stoking of fuel; replacement of ash layer on
the top of the kiln.
 Conducting environment monitoring of kilns to gain further understanding
and guide the policy action.
•As per MoEF norms the dredging depth for clay mining is 2 meter (6 ft) but
after studying the worksite near river Ganga we found that the land was
dredged up to 10 – 15 ft which is against the norms.
•Brick kiln owners does not follow the norms and provision of EC due to
which the depth of river bed has increased to larger extent because the whole
depth is not covered by the clay or sand carried by the river during the
monsoon period it has became the primary cause of drowning of people or
accident in the river.
• Brick kiln owner should follow the norms strictly not only because it’s just a
govt rules or regulation, they should follow the norms as a responsible
civilian.
•They should have to protect the environment and give a healthy environment
to their next generation.
Extra dredging depth (approx 20 ft) Open storage of fuel
Recommendations
 The owner of the brick kiln should be approach to provide decent housing

and basic facilities to the migrant worker.

 Policy to ban child labour should be stickily implemented on ground level.

 First Aid kit at the worksite should be made available for the workers at

time of emergency.

 To continue with the education of the children, seasonal hostel should be

promoted in high migration prone district of the state.

 Enforcement of labour law in the worksite should be made mandatory to

register the workers under the Inter-State Migrant Workman Act of 1979.

 Labour education through awareness camp by NGOs and Labour Unions

should be encouraged.
 Contd…
• The borrowed/excavated pit shall be restored by the project proponent for useful
purpose(s).
• Appropriate fencing all around the borrowed/excavated pit shall be made to prevent
any mishap.
• Measures shall be taken to prevent dust emission by covering of borrowed/excavated
earth during transportation.
• Workers / labourers shall be provided with facilities for drinking water and
sanitation.
• A berm shall be left from the boundary of adjoining field having a width equal to at
least half the depth of proposed excavation.
• A minimum distance of 15 m from any civil structure shall be kept from the
periphery of any excavation area.
• At the end of monsoon the water contained in the pit should be used for fisheries.
• The kiln owner should spend 5% in CSR of the total project cost.
• Uses of zig-zag technology in place of the FCBTK.
 Contd…
• After monsoon the water carried out by the river or the flooded water carry
clay which is rich in nutrients. After 2-3 month around 60% of water gets
infiltrate, which is good for ground water recharge.
• In mining area the depth pit should be filled with municipal waste, and top
layer cover with clay, rock chips etc because after some time they degrade and
convert into high fertile compost.
• The implementation for development of green belt will be of paramount
importance as it will not only add up as an aesthetic feature, but also act as a
pollution sink.
• The species to be grown in the area should be dust tolerant and fast growing
species so that permanent green belt is created.
• Ash should be used for brick making.
• There should be strict guidelines to follow the Environmental Clearance (EC)
& Pollution Certificate for every brick kiln. SEIAA should also visit the site
time to time to check that the kiln owners are following the rules or not.
 References
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7. Environment, Climate Change, and Water Resources Unit South Asia
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and Dudani
9. Environmental impact of sand and clay mining by M. Naveen Saviour.
10. ENVIS
11. Enzen Global Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore (India)
 Contd…
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Environment & Forests.
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(Dhaka).210, (2001).
20. Regional and global impacts of brick production" ZbigniewKlimont, IIASA
 Contd…

21. Singh A.L. and AsgherMd.S., Impact of brick kilns on land use/ landcover
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