Move to contain air pollution

HC for mobile court drives twice a week

The High Court (HC) yesterday directed the Department of Environment to conduct mobile court drives twice a week in Dhaka city to take action against air polluters. The HC bench directed the authorities concerned to set up barricades at all development and renovation projects in Dhaka city within the next 15 days so that the air is not polluted because of the development work being executed.

It also instructed the authorities concerned to spray water twice a day in places where such development and renovation work is already underway to lessen the impact of dust and debris. It directed the director general of the Department of Environment, the mayors of the two city corporations and executive officers to submit a report on the issue.

In response to a writ petition, the HC bench, comprising Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader, came up with the directives.

The HC bench also issued a rule asking the government why its inaction in curbing air pollution in Dhaka city should not be declared illegal. It further asked the government to explain why it should not be directed to take action to control such pollution.

Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), a human rights body, filed the writ petition with the HC, seeking its directive in the matter. The organisation filed the petition based on reports of Dhaka air pollution on various media outlets.

HRPB president advocate Manzil Murshid appeared for the petitioner, while deputy attorney general ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar represented the state. Later, Manzill Murshid told reporters that the authorities concerned were implementing development projects in violation of the rules and regulations of the Environment Act 1997, causing immense suffering to hundreds of people in Dhaka city because of air pollution.

“According to Article 32 of the Constitution, ‘no person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty save in accordance with law’. If the air is polluted because of these projects, it would be difficult for people to survive,” he said.

Move to contain air pollution

HC for mobile court drives twice a week

The High Court (HC) yesterday directed the Department of Environment to conduct mobile court drives twice a week in Dhaka city to take action against air polluters. The HC bench directed the authorities concerned to set up barricades at all development and renovation projects in Dhaka city within the next 15 days so that the air is not polluted because of the development work being executed. It also instructed the authorities concerned to spray water twice a day in places where such development and renovation work is already underway to lessen the impact of dust and debris. It directed the director general of the Department of Environment, the mayors of the two city corporations and executive officers to submit a report on the issue. In response to a writ petition, the HC bench, comprising Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader, came up with the directives. The HC bench also issued a rule asking the government why its inaction in curbing air pollution in Dhaka city should not be declared illegal. It further asked the government to explain why it should not be directed to take action to control such pollution. Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), a human rights body, filed the writ petition with the HC, seeking its directive in the matter. The organisation filed the petition based on reports of Dhaka air pollution on various media outlets. HRPB president advocate Manzil Murshid appeared for the petitioner, while deputy attorney general ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar represented the state. Later, Manzill Murshid told reporters that the authorities concerned were implementing development projects in violation of the rules and regulations of the Environment Act 1997, causing immense suffering to hundreds of people in Dhaka city because of air pollution. According to Article 32 of the Constitution, no person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty save in accordance with law. If the air is polluted because of these projects, it would be difficult for people to survive, he said.