Submit report on Gulshan Lake: HC

The High Court yesterday directed the government to submit a report to it within 30 days on steps taken to stop discharge of sewerage and other environment polluting substances from Gulshan Lake and its surrounding areas. In a ruling, it also asked the government to explain why it should not be directed to do so.
In response to a writ petition, the HC bench comprising Justice Asfaqul Islam and Justice Jafor Ahmed asked the government to explain why dumping waste and sewerage in the Gulshan Lake should not be declared illegal. Secretaries of local government Rural Development and Environment, Chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Katripakkha (RAJUK), Managing Director (MD) of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority and Director General (DG) of Environment Department have been asked to reply to the rule within four weeks.
Two residents, Shima Haider Chowdhury and Omar Sadat, filed the writ on February 16 claiming that the authorities concerned did not take any step to protect the Gulshan Lake although there was a HC order in this regard. Now, the sewerage and wastes are being dumped into the lakes, polluting the environment and affecting the health of local residents. But, the authorities concerned reportedly played a silent role in protecting the Lake from environment pollution.
The petitioners alleged that although the HC had earlier in an order declared the lake as an ecologically critical area, there was no sewerage management in the area. Hence, they sought an HC order to protect the lakes from environment pollution, they added. Barrister Omar Sadat appeared for the petitioner.
Earlier, in a landmark verdict in July 2009, a division bench of the HC had issued a 10-point directive to the government, ordering it to restore the original positions of the Gulshan-Baridhara and Gulshan-Banani lakes, by evicting illegal occupants.
The HC asked the government to take some specific measures, such as conducting an official survey to demarcate the lakes to restore their original positions in accordance with the Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan, demolishing all illegal encroachments, and ensuring an end to the menace. It also asked law enforcement personnel to cooperate with the authorities concerned in executing the court’s order.
Acting on a writ petition filed by Gulshan Society, the then HC bench, led by Justice ABM Khairul Haque, had asked the government to comply with its orders by January 31, 2010.
The HC had asked the authorities to protect the nature and character of the lakes in accordance with the laws of the land. “If there is any legal occupant, the RAJUK has to provide them with alternative plots elsewhere, or pay compensation,” the HC had said.
However, the HC order is yet to be fully implemented, HRPB President and advocate Manzill Murshid said.

Submit report on Gulshan Lake: HC

The High Court yesterday directed the government to submit a report to it within 30 days on steps taken to stop discharge of sewerage and other environment polluting substances from Gulshan Lake and its surrounding areas. In a ruling, it also asked the government to explain why it should not be directed to do so. In response to a writ petition, the HC bench comprising Justice Asfaqul Islam and Justice Jafor Ahmed asked the government to explain why dumping waste and sewerage in the Gulshan Lake should not be declared illegal. Secretaries of local government Rural Development and Environment, Chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Katripakkha (RAJUK), Managing Director (MD) of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority and Director General (DG) of Environment Department have been asked to reply to the rule within four weeks. Two residents, Shima Haider Chowdhury and Omar Sadat, filed the writ on February 16 claiming that the authorities concerned did not take any step to protect the Gulshan Lake although there was a HC order in this regard. Now, the sewerage and wastes are being dumped into the lakes, polluting the environment and affecting the health of local residents. But, the authorities concerned reportedly played a silent role in protecting the Lake from environment pollution. The petitioners alleged that although the HC had earlier in an order declared the lake as an ecologically critical area, there was no sewerage management in the area. Hence, they sought an HC order to protect the lakes from environment pollution, they added. Barrister Omar Sadat appeared for the petitioner. Earlier, in a landmark verdict in July 2009, a division bench of the HC had issued a 10-point directive to the government, ordering it to restore the original positions of the Gulshan-Baridhara and Gulshan-Banani lakes, by evicting illegal occupants. The HC asked the government to take some specific measures, such as conducting an official survey to demarcate the lakes to restore their original positions in accordance with the Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan, demolishing all illegal encroachments, and ensuring an end to the menace. It also asked law enforcement personnel to cooperate with the authorities concerned in executing the courts order. Acting on a writ petition filed by Gulshan Society, the then HC bench, led by Justice ABM Khairul Haque, had asked the government to comply with its orders by January 31, 2010. The HC had asked the authorities to protect the nature and character of the lakes in accordance with the laws of the land. If there is any legal occupant, the RAJUK has to provide them with alternative plots elsewhere, or pay compensation, the HC had said. However, the HC order is yet to be fully implemented, HRPB President and advocate Manzill Murshid said.