More brick kiln centres to be set up in West Burdwan after rousing success

Kolkata: Taking a cue from the success of bricks made from fly ash, West Burdwan district administration is contemplating to set up brick kiln centres in every block.

The brick kilns are eco-friendly and run by women of the Self-Help Groups (SHG) and are set up by the Panchayat and Rural Development department. The kilns have helped the women to become self-reliant.

The bricks from fly ash are cheaper than the ordinary ones. The cost of production per brick is Rs 2 while they are being sold at Rs 4. Ordinary bricks are sold at anything between Rs 8 and Rs 12 per piece. The brick kilns are constructed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme. The fly ash is supplied by the thermal power stations free of cost. The women who run the SHGs have been given training and they are managing both production and accounts. The bricks will be used to construct rural roads and institutional buildings that are coming up under the MGNREGA while the excess ones will be sold in the markets.

More than 15 kilns to produce bricks from fly ash under the MGNREGA scheme. Of these, 10 centres have started production.

In Bankura, three units are functioning followed by two in Nadia and two in East Midnapore. Three units, one each in Purulia, Murshidabad and Malda, are functioning too. The brick kilns are environment-friendly and experts from IIT Kharagpur have certified the strength of the bricks.

The installation charges are not high. The machines that convert fly ash into bricks cost anything between Rs 6.50 lakh and Rs 10 lakh depending on their capacity.

The Panchayat and Rural Development department has plans to set up more kilns in the near future as the SHGs have been greatly benefitted.