Rautahat, January 25

Scores of brick kilns in various Tarai districts are facing an existential crisis due to the protracted strikes and border blockade for more than five months now.

Many brick kilns are on the verge of halting production for want of raw materials and coal. Raw bricks worth millions of rupees have turned useless as a result, informed Brick Entrepreneurs’ Association Rautahat.

“As we have not been able to bake raw bricks due to the short supply of fuel, above ten per cent of the total bricks were destroyed due to rain four days ago. If rainfall continues, we’d face massive loss,” said Binod Chaudhary, Rautahat chairman of the association.

Arun Sah, operator of Gaur-based Jay Ma Brick Kiln Industry, said they could not import coal on time and failed to manage firewood due to the Madhes stir. “The kiln operators appealed to the agitating front several times to allow them to import coal, but in vain,” complained Khursed Dewan, a brick kiln entrepreneur of Farhadawa, Rajpur.

UDMF-aligned Tarai Madhes Democratic Party leader Babulal Sah said they were not unknown to the difficulties brick entrepreneurs were facing. “However, I request them to keep patience as we are struggling for our rights,” said Sah.