Himalayan News Service

Bhaktapur, March 2:

The District Environment Conservation Forum (DECF) of Bhaktapur has flayed the decision of the District Development Committee to demand the concerned authorities to let the illegally-run brick kilns of the district operate for this season.

DECF president Jayaram Thapa said the newly-nominated chairman of the District Development Committee (DDC), Surrendra Pratap Shah, has decided to demand the extension of terms of dozens of illegally-run brick kilns that the authority has already asked to stop functioning. He accused the chairman of playing with the health of 200,000 people of the district and crossing his working area.

However, Shah said he has only decided to demand to let them operate just for this season considering their regular pleading. "As a people’s representative, I have just demanded considering the pathetic consition of thousands of majdoors who are going high and dry."