Brick industry in danger

More than 40,000 people have lost their livelihoods  

Requests the government to work out a plan to provide loan facilities instead of aid to rebuild the industry 

BY Jude Samantha   

The Brick Industry in the Dankotuwa area is one of the worst-affected enterprises during the recent disaster that affected the entire country.  

More than 400 brick kilns in the Dankotuwa area have been affected by floods caused by the overflow of Ma Oya river. Owners of brick kilns said more than 40,000 people that depend on the brick industry have lost their livelihoods.   

A brick kiln owner W.A. Piyaratne, said overflow of Ma Oya is common during the monsoon rains every year, but the flood threat this year was unprecedented. He said he had never experienced such heavy rain and flooding of such magnitude in his life.   

“I had more than 200,000 finished bricks and a similar stock in the kilns. Not a single brick was spared by the floods. Two families of my employees were living in nearby houses. The two houses were completely destroyed. A vast stock of firewood was among the other property destroyed in the disaster,” he said  

He requested the government to work out a plan to provide loan facilities instead of aid to rebuild the industry. He further said a shortage of bricks in the market is being experienced, and the government should focus attention on the possible increase in prices as well.   

Another businessman, Laxana Meso said he had a stock of 17,000 bricks ready for release to the market and 19 lorry loads of clay, but everything was lost in the disaster.   

Meanwhile, several employees in the brick industry expressed concern about their loss of livelihood. They said they were not skilled in any other trade and that it is not possible to find employment.