Defying law, a total of 44 brick factories continue to operate in the district.
The officials of Department of Environment (DoE) said that there are 51 brick kilns across Netrakona. Of them, seven factories have DoE clearance certificates while the remaining 44, set up mainly beside farmlands, are now operating without clearance.
Among these illegal brickfields, seven are located in the district headquarters, 13 in Kendua, seven in Kalmakanda, two in Durgapur, four in Mohangonj, six in Madon, two in Atpara, three in Barhatta and six in Purbadhala, they added.
According to the Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kilns Establishment (Control) Act, 2013, brickfields cannot be constructed within a specific distance (at least one kilometre) from educational institutions, residential, business or protected areas, city corporations, municipality or upazila headquarters, public or private forests, railway tracks, hospitals, environmental sanctuaries, gardens or wetlands, agricultural land, ecological crisis areas, or areas with high air pollution.
Sabikunnahar, Assistant Director of Netrakona District Environment Department, said, "There are 44 brick kilns in the district which have no environmental clearance."
"Measures will be taken soon against them," she added.
However, according to the Deputy Commissioner's Office, the number of legal brick kilns is 25 in the district.
Netrakona Brick Owners Association President Musharaf Hossain said, "The process of getting or renewing environmental clearance is very complicated. The certificate is not renewed even after applying many times."
"For this reason, many brick kilns remain illegal," he added.
Visiting different brickfields, this correspondent found that the topsoil of agricultural lands is being used for manufacturing bricks.
Local environmentalists alleged that the number of farmlands is declining as a result of setting up illegal brickfields. If this continues, the environment and biodiversity of this region will be endangered, they added.
The local administration and the (DoE) authorities have yet to take any visible measures against these brick factories although it is stipulated that no brickfield can be set up without clearance, alleged the locals.
Asked about this, FM Mubarak Ali, Deputy Director of Agricultural Extension Department, said, "If anyone complains about any brick kiln that has been set up on agricultural land illegally, I will look into it."
Netrakona Additional District Magistrate Mohmad Suhal Mahmud said, "Action has already been taken against the owners of the illegal brickfields.
"We will continue our drive against illegal brick kilns," he added.
