India, Feb. 16 -- Nearly 300 brick kilns in Tripura are facing closure within the next 10 days as coal supplies to the state have remained suspended for the past 15 days, the Tripura Brick Manufacturers Association said on Monday.

Of the more than 300 brick kilns in the state, around 280 are currently operational, while the rest are closed for various reasons. The association said the remaining coal stock with kiln owners would not last beyond 10 days, raising the prospect of a complete halt in production.

Association president Bivekananda Choudhury said a meeting of kiln owners was held to deliberate on the worsening situation. He stated that coal, the principal fuel used by the industry, had not entered the state for the last 15 days....