Brajesh Kumar's skilled hands move with rhythmic precision as he shovels coal into the roaring brick kiln. With swift, practiced motions, he removes the hot lid of the furnace using an iron rod and pours in coal. Dark clouds gather, hinting at impending rain. Brajesh is racing against time to complete his work before the kiln must close for the monsoon. His colleague, Rajendra Paswan, assists him in this urgent task. This scene unfolds in Dobhi, a town in Bihar's Gaya district, where the race to bake bricks before the rains is in full swing.
Kundan Pandey is a journalist who writes for Mongabay, Scroll Media, Eco-Business, The Quint, and India Development Review (IDR). His articles focus on environmental issues, climate change, sustainable development, and the intersection of science and society. Kundan aims to raise awareness about the importance of conservation and sustainable practices through his writing.