New Delhi, May 19, 2026: Buniyaad has brought together more than 200 stakeholders across Uttar Pradesh to support discussions around worker welfare, livelihoods and cleaner energy transition in the brick kiln sector.
Through over 60 networking meetings and institutional consultations conducted across districts including Jaunpur, Azamgarh, Ambedkar Nagar, Mathura, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, Bagpat, Roorkee and Meerut, the initiative focused on integrating worker perspectives into conversations on sectoral transition and sustainability.
The engagements come at a time when the brick kiln sector is facing challenges related to extreme heat, long working hours, irregular wages and limited access to welfare support, while also adapting to cleaner technologies and lower-emission practices.
“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. “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.”
According to the organisation, the consultations highlighted concerns related to working conditions, seasonal livelihoods, welfare access and the implications of energy transition within the sector.
As part of the initiative, Buniyaad facilitated 12 Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) registration camps across nine brick kilns in three districts, reaching 448 workers and supporting awareness around welfare schemes and social protection measures.
The initiative also led to the development of a worker-led Charter of Demands focusing on safer working conditions, livelihood security, access to welfare schemes and greater worker inclusion in sector-level decision-making.
To expand awareness at the community level, Buniyaad organised 32 street plays across key brick kiln clusters, reaching around 3,500 people. These engagements also contributed to over 1,500 signatures supporting the Charter of Demands.
Alok Ranjan, Project Campaigner at Purpose India. said, “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.”
The initiative reflects growing attention towards balancing environmental goals with livelihood security and worker welfare in one of India’s major informal employment sectors.
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