Another brick in the wall

Small headways made in the brick kiln industry in Pakistan during the last four years are about to go to waste owing to the political apathy and official mismanagement. According to media reports, an environment-friendly, energy-efficient and cost-effective project which produces sturdier bricks is now in the danger of winding up by the end of this year. The project, initiated with the funding by the Swiss Development Corporation (SDC), incorporated a relatively new system developed by the Chinese, which not only produced stronger bricks but was also more financially viable in the long run. The most important feature of this technology was its eco-friendly nature, allowing for a reduced quantity of carbon emissions in the atmosphere. Brick kilns in Pakistan are notorious for inhumane working conditions. The thick smoke emissions laced with soot and the ruthless demand put on the workers by the management goes completely unchecked. This industry shamelessly resorts to extreme human rights violations and is known for continuing to employ exploitive tactics to lure the poor into bonded labour. Independent estimates claim that 96.4 percent of the workers on the brick kilns are victims of bonded labour. There is overwhelming evidence that people, especially children, who work at these kilns have five times more chances of developing chronic and debilitating health issues than others in the same age group. In light of the hazardous conditions which may gravely impact the health of the workers, and nearby residents, the new "vertical shaft brick kiln project" was also a source of hope. The technology employed in this project significantly decreased the consumption of coal. The working conditions themselves were far better, as the workers did not have to work under the scorching sun. But now, with the project under threat from corruption and incompetency, there seems less chance of making any sustainable improvement in the working conditions for the labourers. This government's apathy towards the millions of brick kiln labourers is appalling. It is shameful that given an opportunity to make these people's lives just slightly better, the federal and provincial governments have not stepped up as yet. At least, the Punjab government has shown some initiative in this regard, but it still has a long way to go. Other provinces are lagging far behind with no political will and complete obliviousness to the plight of the suffering labourers. There is no regulatory system in place, which can monitor the brick kilns, and ensure minimum wages and humane working hours for the workers. Not only are these labourers being exploited by the employers, they are also abandoned by their government. There are two ways to ensure protecting the rights of the brick kiln labourers. The first is to enforce the existing rules. Though Pakistan outlawed forced labour through the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act of 1992, the implementation of the law, just like all others, remains non-existent. There are sporadic news reports of families, enslaved by brick kiln owners, being rescued at the behest of the courts, but the majority still suffers in silence. The other is to address the issue by educating the poor. Most of the labourers at these factories are illiterate having no knowledge of how the loan and payment system works. As a result, entire families end up working to pay off a debt which never seems to decrease for years. They are not shown any balance sheets and are unable to calculate any outstanding debts. Sometimes when the brick kilns are sold, the loan of the labourers is shifted from the old owner to the new one, and the labourers' repayment starts all over again. While these are only medium- to long-term strategies on which the government needs to act, what immediate steps it can take is to ensure that environment-friendly initiatives like the vertical shaft brick kiln technology are employed to reduce the adverse environmental effects and health-related issues of those in close proximity of these factories. Till the time we can provide freedom and fair wages to our labourers, the least we can do is to provide them a safer work environment and respect their right to retain their health. Copyright Business Recorder, 2011