Fly ash bricks soon replace clay bricks industry in Bihar

In the 19th century, the term fly ash bricks did not exist. Mud houses were built in most places at that time.

As time passed, people started building houses with red brick instead of clay.

This modern era is filled with technology, and improvements are visible in cities, neighbourhoods and almost every part of the country, from skyscrapers and roads to vehicles, all made possible faster by technological progress.

Infrastructure is one of the most important contributors to GDP for any country, and along with GDP, it also affects the environment.

As mentioned earlier, mud houses were built first, and then came the era of red bricks, which continues today. When mud houses were built, the environment was not as polluted. But since red brick manufacturing started on a large scale, it has gradually polluted the environment, though this is not the only reason.

How red brick harms the environment

Making clay bricks harms nature in two main ways.

The first reason is that the top layer of land, which would otherwise be fertile, is removed to make bricks, and that land can no longer be cultivated. This is a serious reason with a significant impact on the environment.

The second reason is that when clay is poured into a mould and shaped into a brick, it is dried and then heated in a kiln at high temperature. This process releases smoke into the atmosphere, which is harmful for health and also affects the ozone layer.

Bihar switches to fly ash bricks

Nowadays, red brick construction is still common in most places. But Bihar has gone a step further: the state government has decided that no construction work will be done with red brick, effectively banning it.

If a person wants to start a business manufacturing fly ash bricks, they can set up the unit after informing the department. The government supports this in every way, and free fly ash is provided by NTPC Kahalgaon on demand.

Construction done with fly ash bricks is strong as well as economical, and its use greatly reduces cost.

More than six thousand red brick kilns and 400 fly ash brick units are operating in the state.

According to the minister, red brick kilns cause a lot of pollution, which is why the Bihar government has directed the closure of red brick kilns. All red brick kilns in the state will not be closed simultaneously, since a sudden closure of all kilns would cause a lot of trouble for the common people.

Advantages of fly ash bricks

The state government plans to gradually close red brick kilns while promoting fly ash brick kilns, which fall under the white industry category.

Pollution from fly ash bricks is very low, and no licence is required for this business. The fly ash brick making machine comes in various capacities, from 8,000 to 30,000 bricks per shift.

In this context, the fly ash brick industry is expected to be very effective in promoting employment.

The minister said that details of red brick kilns available at every district and block level have been sought, after which the required assessment will be made, and red brick kilns will be closed gradually on that basis.

Conclusion

Bihar has decided to completely ban red brick manufacturing for a better future. Going forward, other states may gradually ban red brick production too, which would boost the fly ash brick business.

People are also likely to prefer building their homes with non-polluting fly ash bricks, since it is a good option in every way. With such changes, the country is moving towards becoming a cleaner, less polluted country, which will make the future even better.