Waste Ash From Kota's Power Plant Is Fueling A Cheaper, Cleaner Brick Boom Ash from Kota's thermal power plant, once discarded as waste, is now being turned into cheaper, sturdier bricks that are providing employment to nearly 3,000 people in the region. The ash that pours out of Kota's thermal power plant every day used to be treated as pure waste, but it has now turned into the backbone of the city's brick-making trade. Truckloads of this ash are rolling into local kilns, where it is turned into bricks that are cheaper, sturdier and far friendlier to the environment, in the process putting thousands of people to work. Less pollution, less hauling Jaikishan Sarkar, a local resident involved in the trade, said that kilns earlier had to fire red bricks continuously, which brought heavy air pollution and intense heat to the surrounding areas. On top of that, sourcing red bricks meant depending on far-off places such as Lakheri or Kethun, which pushed up transportation costs considerably. The switch to bricks made by mixing thermal ash with cement has eased both problems at once, since the raw material is now available close by and does not need to be fired in a kiln at all. Cheaper to buy, tougher to break According to ordinary buyers, a traditional red brick costs about Rs 5 to Rs 5.50 a piece in the market, while a brick made from thermal ash goes for roughly Rs 3.50 to Rs 4 a piece. Homeowner Bhimraj Gurjar said he used these very bricks to build both his house and his shop. In his experience, the bricks hold up well in terms of strength and cut cleanly, they do not develop seepage or dampness, and they even save on plastering costs. Since an average house needs somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 bricks, that price gap of roughly Rs 1.50 per brick adds up to a real saving across an entire construction project. Jobs for nearly 3,000 people, a changed landscape A cluster of industries has come up right around the Kota thermal plant. Within a radius of just 1 to 2 kilometres, several brick kilns and modern machines have been set up in the surrounding villages, all of them running on this ash. The trade as a whole is now giving direct or indirect work to roughly 2,000 to 3,000 labourers and workers from the region. Ash that was once nothing more than a burden and a headache for the thermal power plant has, in effect, proven the old saying about turning trash into treasure. What this means for you The most immediate effect lands on anyone building a home, since these bricks cost roughly Rs 1.50 less per piece than the traditional option. • Across India: The Kota model shows that ash from thermal power plants can be turned into cheap, sturdy construction material, an approach that could be replicated near other thermal plants across the country. • In Kota: Around 2,000 to 3,000 labourers and workers from the city and its surrounding villages are getting direct or indirect employment from this trade, giving a real boost to the local economy. • For homebuilders: With an average house needing 15,000 to 20,000 bricks, a saving of about Rs 1.50 per brick can add up to thousands of rupees, on top of lower plastering costs since the bricks resist seepage. • For the environment: Since these bricks skip the kiln-firing process altogether, the heavy air pollution and heat once caused by continuously firing red bricks is being reduced. Why this happened This shift did not happen overnight, it came from a combination of long-standing problems with the old brick trade and the large volume of ash the thermal plant kept producing. • Pollution from traditional kilns: Making red bricks required kilns to be fired continuously, which caused heavy air pollution and intense heat in the surrounding areas. • Dependence on distant sources: Red bricks had to be sourced from far-off areas like Lakheri and Kethun, which drove up transportation costs and made the bricks more expensive. • Mounting ash at the thermal plant: The ash generated daily at Kota's thermal power plant was earlier seen as nothing but waste material, and disposing of it was a constant headache for the plant. • Industries set up nearby: Brick kilns and modern machines coming up within 1 to 2 kilometres of the plant made it possible to mix the ash with cement and turn it straight into bricks. Questions & Answers 1. What are bricks in Kota now being made from? They are made by mixing ash from Kota's thermal power plant with cement. 2. How much does a thermal ash brick cost? These bricks cost roughly Rs 3.50 to Rs 4 a piece, compared to Rs 5 to Rs 5.50 for a traditional red brick. 3. How many people are employed by this trade? Around 2,000 to 3,000 labourers and workers near Kota's thermal plant are getting direct or indirect employment from this business. 4. Where were red bricks sourced from earlier? Red bricks used to be brought in from distant areas such as Lakheri and Kethun. 5. What are the benefits of thermal ash bricks? They offer good strength and clean cutting, do not develop seepage, save on plastering costs, and avoid the pollution caused by kiln firing. 6. How many bricks does building a house typically need? An average house requires somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 bricks. Inspiration & Lessons Kota's turnaround shows how a problem, looked at the right way, can become an opportunity. • Turning waste into a venture: Ash that was once seen only as a burden became the foundation of a new business for local entrepreneurs, opening up a fresh source of profit. • Solving cost and environment together: Making bricks from ash cut both the pollution from kiln firing and the price of bricks, showing that affordable and eco-friendly solutions can go hand in hand. • Producing close to the resource: Setting up kilns within 1 to 2 kilometres of the thermal plant removed the need to haul material from far away, saving both transport cost and time. • A model for mass employment: This single shift directly benefited 2,000 to 3,000 people, proving that even small-scale innovation can generate livelihoods at scale. https://trendkia.com/en/rajasthan/kota-men-phenki-jane-vali-rakha-se-badali-inta-udyoga-ki-tasvira-tina-hajara-logon-ko-mila-kama-29507 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.