By Karmrath News Desk
Across Uttar Pradesh's brick kiln clusters, work begins before sunrise. During the summer months, many workers try to finish a significant part of their daily labour before temperatures peak.
“For more than 30 years, I have been working in brick kilns. Whether it is extreme cold in winter or unbearable heat in summer, our work never stops. We have no option but to continue,” said Charmuni Devi, a brick-moulding worker from Nalanda district in Bihar who is currently working at a kiln in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh.
“Now, the heat is becoming more intense every year. We start work early in the morning because it is impossible to work during the daytime heat. It is getting harder and harder to meet our daily targets,” she adds.
Charmuni's experience also reflects concerns voiced by many workers employed in brick kilns across the state. While the sector continues to provide livelihoods to thousands of families, many workers still face physically demanding work, prolonged exposure to heat, limited access to basic facilities and irregular wage conditions.
The issue has gained greater attention as temperatures continue to rise across the country. Media reports on the morning of May 22 noted that all 50 of the world's hottest cities were in India, as a severe heatwave gripped large parts of the country and pushed temperatures well above 40 degrees Celsius even before noon. For workers engaged in outdoor and informal occupations, this heat exposure has emerged as an increasing concern. In brick kilns, where work is closely tied to seasonal cycles and manual labour, the impact is often felt directly on daily productivity and earnings.
Alongside the challenges faced by workers, the sector itself is going through a period of change. New rules for setting up brick kilns in Uttar Pradesh have drawn attention to the industry's place in the state's economy and how it may develop in the years ahead.
Against this backdrop, consultations facilitated through Buniyaad, a multi-stakeholder platform working on a people-centric transition towards cleaner technologies and lower carbon emissions in the brick kiln industry, have sought to bring together workers, kiln owners, community representatives and institutional stakeholders.
Over the past year, more than 200 stakeholders participated in over 60 networking meetings and institutional consultations held across Jaunpur, Azamgarh, Ambedkar Nagar, Mathura, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, Bagpat, Roorkee and Meerut.
Participants said the discussions focused on issues such as working conditions, seasonal livelihoods, access to welfare systems and the implications of shifts towards cleaner technologies and lower-emission practices.
As part of the process, 12 Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) registration camps were organised across nine kilns in three districts. The camps reached 448 workers and helped increase awareness about welfare schemes and social protection measures available to them.
The consultations also contributed to the development of a worker-led Charter of Demands. The charter outlines priorities related to safer working conditions, livelihood stability, access to welfare schemes and greater inclusion of workers in discussions concerning the sector.
Community outreach activities were also conducted in brick kiln clusters. A total of 32 street plays reached around 3,500 people, while more than 1,500 signatures were collected in support of the Charter.
“By bringing together different voices, Buniyaad is helping build a more connected understanding of the sector and creating space for practical, collaborative problem-solving grounded in the realities of the workers and communities who sustain it," said Alok Ranjan, Project Campaigner at Purpose India.