Over 70% Delhi-NCR brick kilns use coal despite CAQM ban

Despite the Commission for Air Quality Management's (CAQM) ban on coal use in brick kilns across Delhi-NCR, more than 70 per cent of surveyed kilns continued using coal during the 2025-26 season, according to a new report released by the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

According to the survey, about 77 per cent of the 128 kilns surveyed in 2025 were using coal despite the prohibition. In 2026, the figure declined marginally to 72 per cent of the 152 surveyed kilns. None of the kilns used coal as their only fuel, with most combining it with loose biomass.

The survey found that all surveyed kilns had formally converted from Fixed Chimney Bull's Trench Kiln technology to Zig-Zag technology, as mandated. However, around 70 per cent of evaluated kilns had cracks, broken walls or poor-quality plastering, affecting structural integrity and increasing fuel consumption. The analysis has been published in the report Rules Without Reach published June 12, 2026.

"The brick industry is among the most polluting and least regulated sectors in the country. The CAQM coal ban was a necessary step, but a direction without a transition strategy is unlikely to change behaviour on the ground. The sector needs technical guidance, financial support, and institutional hand-holding. None of that was provided, and the survey results reflect exactly that gap," said Subhrajit Goswami, Programme Officer, CSE.

CSE also found that many kiln owners had expanded trench widths beyond the dimensions specified in their Consent to Operate to maximise production within the Supreme Court-mandated four-month operating window. In several cases, trench widths ranged between 40 and 50 feet, nearly double the prescribed norm of 20 to 25 feet.

The report noted poor compliance with green cover requirements. In 2025, 105 of the 128 surveyed kilns had no green cover. In 2026, 118 of the 152 surveyed kilns lacked any green cover, while only two kilns had sufficient plantation on their premises.

While all surveyed kilns had the required monitoring infrastructure, including portholes, ladders and platforms, only about 36 per cent had safe monitoring platforms in 2025. The figure rose to about 40 per cent in 2026.

The survey also documented brick kilns operating close to schools in Bulandshahr and Panipat. Poor internal road conditions were found across all surveyed districts and were identified as a major source of fugitive dust during the transportation of green bricks.

Among the 60 kiln owners interviewed, none reported receiving formal communication from CAQM or State Pollution Control Boards regarding the coal ban. Forty per cent said they learned about the ban through the media, while the remaining 60 per cent became aware through union meetings or WhatsApp groups. The report states that no technical sessions were organised by regulatory authorities to explain transition pathways or alternative fuels, and no financial support was provided for the shift.

According to kiln owners, coal remains important for producing quality bricks because biomass has a lower calorific value. Most owners said a blend of 20-30 per cent coal with 70-80 per cent biomass is the minimum required to maintain product quality.

The report recommends developing standard operating procedures for fuel transition, engaging sector experts and research institutions, strengthening PCB field capacity, establishing quality standards for briquettes and pellets, and encouraging public procurement of bricks manufactured with cleaner fuels.

“India's demand for building materials will continue to grow. What the brick sector needs is not just restrictions; red bricks need clear benchmarks. The larger goal should be to define what a well-run brick kiln looks like—one that operates year-round with effective pollution controls, provides stable employment for workers, and remains economically viable,” Nivit Kumar Yadav, Programme Director, Sustainable Industrialisation and Renewable Energy unit, CSE.

“The country needs a National Brick Mission with a clear policy roadmap for the sector, driven from the highest levels of government, along with blended finance opportunities for entrepreneurs. Achieving this will require coordinated action by regulators, researchers, industry, and civil society," added Yadav.