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The number of brick kilns is on the rise in the city of Patna, the capital of Bihar. The reason behind the spike is rising demand for construction materials in the city’s expanding infrastructure sector.
The kilns operate in and around Patna, producing common fired clay bricks for construction.
But this proliferation of bricks has had an impact. The air in and around Patna has become heavily polluted due to the kilns discharging dust and sand particles into the air, particularly when wind blows from the north. The industry is a major source of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and carbon emissions.
All this has led Patna to become one of the most polluted cities in India.
The growth of brick kilns in and around Patna reflects the quiet intersection of construction demand and environmental strain in a fast-developing country like India.