BRICK KILN : A PROFITABLE RURAL LIVELIHOOD

Padmapur : Workers busy in brick making with helpers

 (Photo - Sudarsan Sahoo)

Padmapur, KORAPUT: Today’s world is stepping into a world of fast growing concrete jungle. Construction works are mushrooming in every corner of the world whether it is metro like New York or one of the remotest place like Koraput district of Orissa. Bricks, especially clay bricks are one of the basic construction materials. When one moves on the NH-43 from Koraput towards Sunabeda, one will find a number of round shaped cute tomb-like structures oozing out white smokes at both the sides of road, as if it is preaching the religion of beauty for the nature’s rich Koraput. And the workers working there, on and around the tomb like structures are like the angels of the nature.

The tombs like structures are the brick kilns and the angels are the daily labourers, working hard to lead a life of hand-to-mouth. A brick-kiln industry, a seasonal business, naturally runs under the supervision of the owner who may undertake a piece of land on lease from others or may use his own land. The piece of land must be near to the water sources like ponds, reservoirs, natural streams etc. to satisfy the water necessity of raw clays. The workers dig the soil and pour water to prepare the raw clay which will be put into a box like structure made out of wood to take its shape of brick. The raw brick is exposed to sunrays until it dries up. The dry bricks are set in a round–shaped tomb-like structure and set into fire where the waste products of paddy are used as the fuel. Most of the daily-labourers working at brick kiln belong to families below poverty line. The labourers making raw bricks to get Rs.400 per 1000 number of bricks and work in groups of two (one male and one female – most of the time they are husband and wife). In an average they make 800 to 1200 pieces of bricks in a day depending upon their individual skills. When asked to Mr Sadan Kirsani (name changed ) of Gopalput, who is working in the brick kiln near Padmapur village of Padmapur Panchayat  that how is he able to manage his household, he answered that for him working in the brick kiln is a source for employment as his agricultural lands got drowned in the standing water of Kolab project. Sometimes he borrows money in advance from the owner at festive seasons for the fulfilment of his household expenditures and that will be adjusted in the next working season.

During summer season the natural streams dries up causing the premature close of the brick kilns. No doubt, it is a profitable business for the owner as well as for the worker, but continuing it on summers is not possible. The industries of brick kiln in Koraput district have helped a lot to the local daily labourers to get a handsome wage but as it is a seasonal business, life becomes difficult for them afterwards. From the case study of Sadan Kirsani, it’s apprehended that he might be a victim of exploitation by his owner. However the clay brick kiln industries have given a scope of seasonal livelihood for the country people.

 (Sudarsan Sahoo is an enthusiastic and dynamic observer of various aspects of life, who has an indomitable desire of surfing through different kinds of articles and sites in internet and has developed an interest towards New Media. Sometimes a poet, a painter and a singer, he, who has a Masters Degree in English from Utkal University, Orissa, exudes a literary bent of mind to hover over articles, books and reviews on Art and Literature. At present he is pursuing his Master’s in Journalism and Mass Communication from Central University of Orissa.)