New Delhi, Jun 12 (PTI) The brick-making sector in Delhi-NCR continues to violate the Commission for Air Quality Management’s (CAQM) ban on the use of coal, according to a new report.
It stated that the prohibition lacks a credible enforcement mechanism, a monitoring system, and transition support from regulatory authorities to the industry.
The report titled ‘Rules Without Reach: How the Brick-Making Industry Has Fared on CAQM Compliances in Delhi-NCR’ was published by the Centre for Science and Environment on Friday.
For their analysis, the authors conducted two rounds of field surveys covering 128 kilns in 2025 and 152 kilns in 2026 across Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Shamli, Jhajjar, Panipat, and Sonipat, along with virtual communications with 60 kiln owners.
They found that about 77 per cent of the 128 kilns surveyed in 2025 were using coal. In 2026, that figure marginally decreased to 72 per cent of the 152 kilns surveyed.
In a statement, CSE programme officer Subhrajit Goswami said, “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.” According to a 2016-17 study for Delhi-NCR, conducted by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), brick kilns accounted for an average of 8 per cent of the total PM2.5 emissions by all industries in the region during the winter season.
The key reasons why the brick-making sector continues to use coal are quality and economics, according to the CSE report.
Kiln owners told the authors of the report that coal is essential for producing quality bricks, as biomass lacks the same calorific value.
Most owners said a blend of at least 20-30 per cent coal with 70-80 per cent biomass is the minimum needed to maintain product quality.
Goswami stated that after the coal ban was implemented, “the sector needed technical guidance, financial support, and institutional hand-holding. None of that was provided, and the survey results reflect exactly that gap.” PTI ALC MPL MPL
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