An association of brick manufacturers held a demonstration at Chinna Thadagam here on Monday, urging the State government to reopen the brick kilns in the Thadagam valley that were ordered closed by the district administration for violations.
S. Gopi, organiser of Coimbatore District Brick Manufacturers’ Welfare Association, claimed that the closure had affected the livelihood of nearly 1.5 lakh people . They included the residents of the five village panchayats in the valley – Chinna Thadagam, Nanjundapuram, Veerapandi, Pannimadai and Somaiyampalayam.
According to the district administration, 186 brick kilns had not obtained proper licence for operation in the valley. Mr. Gopi alleged that “fake social activists furnished false information” to get the kilns closed.
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“If the State government provides the guidelines for the operation of the brick kilns, we are ready to implement these,” he said.