Brick-kilns suffer huge losses due to pre-monsoon rain

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Jhajjar, June 28

Brick-kiln owners in the district have reportedly suffered heavy losses due to pre-monsoon rain that have completely damaged their stock of bricks lying in the open. On an average, the Jhajjar Brick-kiln Owners’ Association has calculated a loss of Rs 8 lakh to each brick-kiln. The district has more than 400 brick-kilns.

Owners say the kilns generally remain functional till the first week of July, but this season the pre-monsoon rain has forced them wind up their activities at least 20 days early, resulting in considerable financial losses.

“The unexpected spells of rain have destroyed lakhs of raw bricks lying in the open at the kilns across the district. According to an estimate, every kiln owner has sustained a loss between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 10 lakh. Many will not be able to deliver bricks as ordered,” says Vinod Gulia, president of the association.

Om Prakash, another kiln owner, says they were in the process of producing 10 lakh more bricks before the end of the current season but will not be able to do so now, as all material to be used in manufacturing bricks have been damaged.

“Generally, June is favourable for brick-kilns. Most of the kilns prepare raw bricks between June 25 and 28 and then bake them before the end of the season on July 10. But this time, the kilns have stopped functioning 20 days early than the schedule,” says Mahabir Gulia, former secretary of the association.

Ram Prashad, another kiln owner, says he has suffered considerable losses twice this season. “The brick-kiln business has become non-profitable for the past three to four years due to rain and other reasons,” he adds.

The kiln owners say they are finding it difficult to run their businesses due to an increase in the price of sand. Rain, they add, has added to their woes.