BHAKTAPUR, Jan 19: Hundred and thousands number of bricks that were readied to be baked in altogether 62 brick kilns at Bhaktapur have been damaged by the incessant rainfall in the past two days.
The rainfall estimated to incur damages to around 900,000 pieces of raw bricks amounting to Rs 90 million, informed Bhaktapur Brick Factories Entrepreneurs Association's President Natibhai Hyomba. Hyomba shared, "More than 80 per cent of raw bricks readied to be burnt have been ruined by the rain.
Unseasonal rains damage bricks worth Rs 50 million in Bhaktapur
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Furthermore, the rainfall that began since Thursday night to Friday has made it difficult to protect the furnace in the brick kiln." In lack of adequate raw bricks to be baked and burned, there are only two options: whether let the fire be doused or keep the fire burning with the help of coals which would obviously increase the production cost.
Nevertheless, he assured that it would not lead to hike of bricks' price in the immediate future as they have had enough of old stock of bricks to cater to the demand of the market for some time. Given the grim scenario, he appealed with the local municipality and government to consider subsidizing the tax for the brick entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs apart, the labourers working in the kiln have also borne the brunt of damages on bricks as they have to bear 33 per cent of the loss as per the prevailing regulations while rest other 67 per cent will be borne, according to him.
Ram Bahadur BK, one of the labourers, bemoaned that the rainfall and the subsequent damages on the bricks had caused them financial loss.
