PRAYAGRAJ, Jan. 9 -- The district administration is preparing to take action against 170 brick kilns over long-pending non-payment of regulatory fees. District magistrate Manish Kumar Verma has instructed senior mining officer KK Rai to issue notices to all defaulting kiln operators and take strict action against those who fail to clear their dues, officials said. Around 550 brick kilns are currently operational in Prayagraj district. All are mandated to pay regulatory fees based on their scale of operations and prevailing government norms. Senior mining officer Rai said that 170 kiln operators have not deposited the prescribed fees for a long period. "The regulatory fee varies from place to place, and the pending dues run into several lakhs of rupees, resulting in significant loss to government revenue," he said. Following the district magistrate's instructions, notices are being issued to all defaulters. Authorities have been told to initiate action against operators who fail to comply even after receiving notices, Rai added. Officials acknowledged that the number of brick kilns within the city limits is already limited. Closure of the 170 defaulting units could lead to an acute shortage of bricks in the district, potentially disrupting construction activities and ongoing building projects. Brick kiln operators are required to pay various regulatory charges, including license and renewal fees, pollution control consents, mining royalties for clay, and other state-mandated compliances. Non-payment of these dues can invite penalties, suspension of operations, or closure under existing regulations....