LAHORE: The government has decided to offer easy loans for brick kiln owners to transfer their units from traditional to zigzag technology.

There are more than 8,500 kilns across the province and the government closes the traditional kilns in November and December each year to check rising smog levels particularly in the Punjab capital.

A majority of the units have been shifted to zigzag technology, which consumes 30 per cent less fuel than those run on traditional technology. The remaining kilns are a matter of concern for the authorities and their closure each year not only obstructs the construction activity but also causes livelihood loss to hundreds of families working at kilns.

Punjab Disaster Management Authority Director-General Raja Khurram Shehzad Umar says the Punjab government will give Rs1 million per kiln if their owners are ready to modernize their kilns.

He says the owners will have to pay only three per cent interest on the bank loans and the rest will be borne by the government.

A delegation of the All Pakistan Kilns Association was informed of the funding in a meeting with PDMA director general Raja Shehzad here on Monday. Both sides also discussed the Supreme Court orders regarding converting all the kilns onto zigzag technology and not allowing the traditional units to operate ever.

Mr Shehzad told the visitors that the kilns failing to be converted to the latest technology would remain closed under the National Calamities Act.

The kiln owners, led by General Secretary Mehr Abdul Haq, reportedly sought one-month relaxation for the purpose so they might ensure the prerequisites for the purpose.

Mr Haq said they were ready to adopt the new technology but some owners needed time to make up their minds.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2020