Shut all illegal structures along Buriganga: HC

52 washing plants operate sans clearance, DoE informs court

The High Court (HC) yesterday ordered the Department of Environment (DoE) to shut down the operations of all industries, factories and other facilities having no environmental clearance certificate (ECC) and effluent treatment plant (ETP) on both the banks of Buriganga River, within a month. The HC bench of Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore and Justice Mohammad Ullah also ordered the DoE to submit a complete report to the court after complying with the directive by January 8 next year. Earlier, the DoE informed the High Court that a total of 52 washing factories are polluting the Buriganga River water and the environment as these are operating on the south bank of the river without any ECC and ETP.

Besides, an inquiry in going on against some factories and structures that are running on the North bank of the Buriganga River without any ECC and ETP and causing river pollution, the DoE said in its report submitted to the HC as per an earlier court order. The DoE, in the compliance report, said it has shut operations of 27 such factories and industries in 2017 and 18 factories and industries this year as they were polluting the river.

Meanwhile, the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has submitted an undertaking to the HC saying that it will seal off all its drains and sewerage lines connected to the Buriganga River and will file a progress report to the court in this regard every month.                    

The HC bench ordered the WASA to implement its undertaking properly and to submit the first progress report to the court by January 8. During the hearing, Dhaka WASA Managing Director Taqsem A Khan offered unconditional apology to the HC bench for making an untrue statement about sewerage lines connected to the Buriganga River.

 

Shut all illegal structures along Buriganga: HC

52 washing plants operate sans clearance, DoE informs court

The High Court (HC) yesterday ordered the Department of Environment (DoE) to shut down the operations of all industries, factories and other facilities having no environmental clearance certificate (ECC) and effluent treatment plant (ETP) on both the banks of Buriganga River, within a month. The HC bench of Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore and Justice Mohammad Ullah also ordered the DoE to submit a complete report to the court after complying with the directive by January 8 next year. Earlier, the DoE informed the High Court that a total of 52 washing factories are polluting the Buriganga River water and the environment as these are operating on the south bank of the river without any ECC and ETP. Besides, an inquiry in going on against some factories and structures that are running on the North bank of the Buriganga River without any ECC and ETP and causing river pollution, the DoE said in its report submitted to the HC as per an earlier court order. The DoE, in the compliance report, said it has shut operations of 27 such factories and industries in 2017 and 18 factories and industries this year as they were polluting the river. Meanwhile, the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has submitted an undertaking to the HC saying that it will seal off all its drains and sewerage lines connected to the Buriganga River and will file a progress report to the court in this regard every month. The HC bench ordered the WASA to implement its undertaking properly and to submit the first progress report to the court by January 8. During the hearing, Dhaka WASA Managing Director Taqsem A Khan offered unconditional apology to the HC bench for making an untrue statement about sewerage lines connected to the Buriganga River.