After grappling for decades with its 2,800-odd polluting brick kilns, Punjab has got most of them to switch to a new technology, thereby cutting emissions by an estimated 70 per cent. Recently, the Punjab and Haryana High Court refused to grant any relief to kiln owners who had appealed against the government’s orders. I wish they had asked us to do this earlier,” said Sarbjit Singh, a kiln owner in Ludhiana and former office bearer of the Punjab Brick Kiln Owners’ Association. “With this technology, not only have emissions been cut by 70-80 per cent, kiln owners save fuel too. If their plea is turning down, we will ensure complete adherence to the new technology,” said Satwinder Singh Marwaha, Chairman, Punjab Pollution Control Board.

Source: Indian Express October 19, 2019 23:15 UTC