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Fly ash shortage worries alternative brick makers
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 All - India Fly Ash Bricks and Blocks Manufacturers Association has expressed concern at the shortage of fly ash, the primary raw material for the production of blocks and bricks. The association at its meeting held at Coimbatore on Wednesday criticised the thermal power plants and cement factories (with dry fly ash collection facilities) for the failure in complying with the Government directive on fly ash allotment.
There are nearly forty fly-ash brick and block manufacturers here and 25 of them are members of the association. D.S. Saravanan of Madurai pointed out that fly-ash bricks and blocks actually helped in preventing the dumping of this raw material as a waste causing environment al pollution. |
Less Pollution
In addition, as an alternative to conventional baked red soil bricks, the fly ash bricks actually helped in fighting against the exploitation of fertile sand and also the fuel spent on burning the bricks. Fly-ash brick manufacturing process does not involve nitrogen and carbon-dioxide emission, which is prevalent in the conventional red soil brick manufacturing process.
He pointed out that Government of India in 2004 promulgated an order, saying that fly ash should be given free of cost to the user industry in an effort to prevent environmental degradation arising out of the dumping of fly ash. The order was also aimed at promoting the alternative brick industry by providing the raw materials free of cost. The thermal power generation units in the State struck an agreement with the cement industries (that established dry fly ash collection facility) that 20 per cent of the fly ash would be given to the Small Scale Industries, i.e. the end users of the fly ash. Unfortunately, the cement factories that spend close to Rs 60 per tonne for dry collection facility (with electrostatic precipitator process) was not adhering to the agreement. |
Inspection provision
The Government earlier had a provision for inspection to certify genuine fly-ash brick and block manufacturing units. Only after inspecting the plant, power lines and installed brick and block manufacturing machinery, an officer in the rank of Executive Engineer from the Electricity Board would accord No Objection for allotment of fly ash. |
Streamlining Procedures
Subsequently, the clause for inspection was removed in the name of simplification of procedures. As a result, people register some fictitious name for an SSI through online registration. With that certificate and letter head, they get allotment of fly ash and it is silently sold to the open market for the cement manufacturers to mix it in their product. There is an unabated sale of fly ash subtly denying the raw material for the fly-ash brick manufacturers. Hence, the association was planning to move the court seeking directions to streamline the procedures for allotment and supply of fly ash, Mr.Saravanan added.
V.S.Palaniappan
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