NGT directs UPPCB to assess environmental compensation for an illegally operated brick kiln in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh.

February 27, 2026 : The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to determine and impose environmental compensation on a brick kiln in Bijnor district that was found to have been operating illegally without mandatory environmental clearances.

The order came during the hearing of an application filed by Anis Ahmad, who alleged that a brick kiln had been set up and operated in violation of environmental norms at Gata No. 1185 in Village Pargana, Tehsil Chandpur, Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh. The case was heard by a bench headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson of the Tribunal, along with Expert Member Dr. Afroz Ahmad.

According to the applicant, the kiln had been established without complying with the siting criteria laid down under the Uttar Pradesh Brick Kiln (Siting Criteria for Establishment) Rules, 2012, as well as a notification issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on February 22, 2022. The plea further claimed that although authorities had earlier halted the kiln’s operations, it later resumed functioning illegally.

While hearing the matter earlier in September 2024, the tribunal had directed the District Magistrate of Bijnor to ensure that the kiln could operate only after meeting all regulatory requirements and obtaining necessary permissions.

During subsequent proceedings, it was revealed that the original operators had sold the kiln to new owners. The tribunal therefore added the new purchasers as respondents to the case in January 2025. Both the previous and current owners submitted replies before the tribunal.

The UPPCB informed the tribunal that it had already issued a closure order on November 25, 2024, after inspections confirmed violations. Officials found that the kiln was operating without obtaining Consent to Establish (CTE), Consent to Operate (CTO), or the required environmental clearances from relevant authorities.

Inspection records also indicated that the kiln did not meet mandatory location norms. It was situated within restricted distances from a town area, educational institutions, other brick kilns, and orchards, which violated the siting criteria prescribed under state rules and central environmental regulations.

The tribunal noted that although the kiln has reportedly not been operating since the closure order was issued, the record clearly shows that it functioned illegally before the order was passed.

Consequently, the tribunal directed the UPPCB to identify the duration during which the kiln operated without permissions and calculate the environmental compensation payable for the violations. The board has been instructed to complete this process within six weeks while following the principles of natural justice.

The new owners of the property informed the tribunal that they had purchased the land in June 2023 and had halted construction immediately after receiving notice from the local administration. They also undertook that the brick kiln would not be operated unless all necessary approvals are obtained from the concerned authorities.

The tribunal further emphasized that cases involving brick kilns established and operated without any regulatory approvals cannot be treated as minor procedural violations. In such situations, authorities must take strict action, including demolition where necessary, to enforce environmental norms.

With these directions, the tribunal disposed of the application.

Case Reference : Original Application No. 1170/2024 (IA No. 447/2024), Anis Ahmad (Applicant) vs. State of Uttar Pradesh & Others (Respondents); Counsels; for the Applicant: Mr. Rahul Khurana, Mr. Hasil Jain, and Ms. Bhavya Singla, Advocates; for the Respondents: Mr. Ankit Verma, Advocate for the State of Uttar Pradesh; Ms. Sthavi Asthana, Advocate for UPPCB; and Mr. Ayyub Ahmad and Mr. Anis Ahmad, Advocates for Respondents No. 4 to 9.