EVENT: Greening the Brick Sector in Bihar

WHEN: 29 June 2018

WHERE: Parivesh Bhawan, Patliputra, Patna

Organized by: Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) & Development Alternatives

This initiative was focused on developing mitigation action in the brick sector in Bihar, as brick sector is significant contributor to GHG emissions and has high environmental impact. It focused on the current status of brick sector in Bihar and the extensive list of parameters influencing demand and supply of fly ash bricks.

Workshop

The workshop provided a platform and brought together various stakeholders from the government, civil society, academia and private sectors to create multi-stakeholder dialogue to promote fly ash bricks (FAB) in Bihar. The environmental impacts of the brick sector and the potential to mitigate these impacts through an inclusive economic strategy that supports economic growth needed to fuel development in the state was deliberated in the workshop. The workshop was structured with the following sessions:

• Inaugural session with a welcome address from Dr. Ashok Ghosh, Chairman, Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB)

• Presentation on Green Technology in Bihar

• Addressing Gaps in Policy, Practice, and Legislation to accelerate the Transition

• Levers of Change: Recommendations to take forward the Transition

• Closing session with a vote of thanks from Dr. K. Vijaya Lakshmi, Vice President, Development Alternative

The discussions and dialogue focussed on the environmental impacts of the brick sector and the potential to mitigate these impacts through an inclusive economic strategy that supports economic growth needed to fuel development in the state. The dialogue also focused on the practical relevance of using fly ash bricks as an alternative to mitigate the environmental impacts of the brick sector otherwise since fly ash (a waste) as a raw material can contribute towards transitioning to a resource resilient India. The discussion also addressed the prevailing issues in the production and consumption of fly ash bricks.

The event witnessed participation from 58 participants from diverse groups including existing and potential fly ash entrepreneurs, regulators and policy makers, civil society, technology providers, builders and contractors, banks and fly ash associations. Many of the eminent speakers expressed their deep concern regarding fly ash utilization and the immediate need for developing a supportive ecosystem to promote fly ash bricks in Bihar.

The speakers were confident that the prime objective of promoting fly ash bricks in Bihar can be achieved through transformative action on technological, economic, regulatory and behavioural changes.

Conclusions

All the deliberations that were made during this event could be categorized into three broad heads:

• Resource Security

• Efficiency and Sufficiency

• Scope for Green Technologies in Bihar

• Policy Support

• Suggestive Policy Action to Accelerate the Transition

Download proceedings document here.