Coimbatore District Collector has initiated proceedings for the closure of brick kilns that functioned illegally in villages, including Naickenpalayam coming under Coimbatore north taluk.
Sources with the Revenue Department said that proceedings initiated by the Collector regarding the closure of illegally operated brick kilns were served on more than 30 owners.
According to a copy of closure proceedings, the Collector asked Coimbatore north tahsildar in January this year to submit a report regarding functioning of brick kilns based on complaints and an e-mail received from the Director of Geology and Mining. Coimbatore north tahsildar reported that many brick kilns functioned illegally. An inspection by the Assistant Director Geology and Mining and Revenue officials also found that those units were operating without obtaining proper permissions.
It was also found that Naickenpalayam has been notified as a hill village by the government through an order of the Housing and Urban Development Department. Therefore, clearance from the Hill Area Conservation Authority (HACA) was required for the functioning of brick kilns and the operators had not obtained it. They also did not possess a certificate of registration issued by the Collector as prescribed under rule 19 (2) of the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959, and violated several other norms, said Revenue Department sources.
A resident from Govanur in Naickenpalayam village said the village reported a surge in the activity of brick kilns after over 170 units were closed down in Thadagam valley following court orders.
