Protecting environment
In a bid to ensure eco-friendly atmosphere, the Department of Environment (DoE) Khulna has given notices to 87 industries in the last two months to improve their processing system otherwise they may face closure, according to a report in this newspaper on Saturday. We appreciate the DoEs move. Not only in Khulna, industrial units that have been set up in an unplanned manner in different places in the country are polluting the environment.
It may sound unpalatable but it is a fact that industrial progress contributes to environmental pollution. Owners of industrial units in the country are thriving with the state patronage but they hardly care about the welfare of the country and its people. They cannot imagine what a terrible damage they are inflicting to the environment. Owners of brick kilns are also greatly responsible for environmental pollution. The owners of industries cannot resort to such reckless actions. In the past also DoE warned owners of many industrial units and brick kilns for polluting environment but that did not bear the expected fruits.
It is extremely worrying to note that thousands of brick kilns that have sprung up in different places in the country are playing havoc with the environment. These brick kilns set up by unscrupulous people defying the existing law of the land are exposing the people living in those areas to serious health hazards on the one hand and contributing to destruction of the countrys forest resources on the other.
Climate change also took its toll on the environment of Bangladesh. Cyclonic storms like Sidr and Aila caused large-scale destructions in the past. The people living in coastal areas bore the brunt of those. Damage of coastal flood control embankments and intrusion of saline water are the additional hazards. Green industrialization can help reduce environmental pollution. Use of solar energy and hydroelectric power can greatly help achieve this goal.
The government should make attempts so that industrial pollution does not cross the limit. Apart from government initiatives, all stakeholders, including environmentalists, conscious people and NGOs should put in their utmost efforts to minimize environmental pollution. DoE should stop giving environmental clearance certificate to the industrial polluters and should suggest concerned authorities to take legal actions against industrial units operated without environmental clearance. Creation of massive awareness among the people starting from the capital city down to the remote rural areas is of prime importance.
