There are to be no new brick kilns in the Valley. The government, concurring with the decision of the new Industrial Promotion Board, has decided not to permit any more traditional kilns in Kathmandu Valley until entrepreneurs come up with a less-polluting way to produce bricks. The board has also decided that kilns already operating in the Valley will have to install pollution control equipment within 18 months. The government has also decided that kilns operating without registration will be immediately shut down. The law allows the government to slap fines of up to Rs 500,000 on errant kiln owners or even order the closing of the factories. The government decision comes after the Lalitpur branch of the Small and Cottage Industries department refused last year to renew permits of 43 traditional brick-makers. Also recently, 16 kilns in Bhaktapur were penalised for operating without licenses.