LAHORE: Unions of the brick kiln workers are holding a rally on Tuesday (today) in protest against the closure of kilns, saying they will be bereft of any work because of the closure of the kilns.

“We understand that the government is closing down the kilns because of smog but we know that smog is not just because of the brick kilns. Smog is there even after the kilns are closed,” Muhammad Hussain Wattoo,one of the brick kiln workers from Lalamusa and a part of the Awami Bhatta Mazdoor Union, says while speaking to Dawn.

“The brick kilns are being singled out for the problem. Their owners make huge profits that sustain them during the closure while the workers are the ones suffering.”

Mr Wattoo says brick kiln workers had special skills and it is the only work they know.

“We are already finding it difficult to find employment but after the government notification of the kilns closure from Nov 7, even the employed workers will be rendered jobless – not for days or weeks but for months.”

He adds that they tried to reach the Labour authorities, including Punjab Minister for Labour and Human Resource Ansar Majeed Niazi, but received no response from them.

According to workers, the rates set by the Punjab government for their payments are still not being followed by the kiln owners.

For an unbaked brick, the government rate is Rs1,295 for every 1,000 bricks but workers get only around Rs850 to Rs900. For a larger type of brick, called the ‘special brick’, the rate is Rs1,530 per 1,000 bricks but workers get around Rs1,200.

Saad Chaudhry from the Pakistan Workers’ Federation, which would be supporting the workers’ demand at the rally, says that it is time that the kiln owners begin sharing their massive profits with the workers.

“Most of the kiln workers will not fully understand the environmental impact of the kilns but the essence of their demands must be understood. They must be given compensation. Owners rake in profits the entire year because of the hard work of the labourers who are paid next to nothing. Just before the closure of the kilns, owners hike up the rates of bricks and profit even more; therefore, they will not suffer,” Mr Chaudhry adds.

Punjab Labour Department Director Daud Abdullah says that while the brick kilns are closed down during the winter months, the pathairwala or those who mould the bricks continue to work, so it is impossible that they are not paid.

“These are the main workers and they make the larger numbers of workers there,” he claims.

“We send our labour inspectors there on time and we have geotagging now to ensure that the inspectors actually do visit the site. As for issues of bribery or extortion by labour inspectors, we act on complaints and such cases can be sent directly to the divisional magistrates.”

Mr Abdullah says the department has taken action quite a few times and would continue doing so if there are any other discrepancies by owners.

Meanwhile, Environment Protection Department (EPD) Director General Dr Khurram Shahzad says no negligence at any level will be tolerated concerning the government’s ‘anti-smog campaign’. He emphasized that there would be no holiday for the staff concerned till Dec 31.

The meeting was held online in the committee room of the EPD on Monday, during which the DG reviewed work performance and issued directions for improvement in the anti-smog campaign.

Mr Shahzad says action would be taken against the field staff if there would be any negligence in sealing old technology brick kilns, adding that even after shutdown of kilns their surveillance will remain.

“The anti-smog campaign will continue even after the smog period so that we will not have to face another smog season next year. Brick kiln owners have assured their full support with regard to conversion to zigzag technology,” he says.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2020