Speaking at a function yesterday, Deputy Minister for Environment and Forest Abdullah Al Islam Jacob said action would be taken against those who are continuing production in dyeing factories without setting up ETP plants. “We want to make an environment friendly country free from pollution,” he told reporters while conducting a mobile court at Keraniganj in the capital yesterday afternoon. Jacob said there were no ETP plants at many washing and dyeing factories at Keraniganj and brickfield owners were not abiding by laws of the land. Three brick fields and a number of washing and dyeing factories have already been closed down for violating the laws. The deputy minister was there with two magistrates at Tegoria, Kadamtoli and Aganagar in South Keraniganj as the mobile court asked owners of NBM Bricks, Diamond Bricks and JPN Bricks to stop production and sealed off those plants.
Later, a number of dying factories, including Ahmed washing, Bismillah washing, Sayma washing and Global washing have been sealed off and their electricity connection was cut off. Department of Environment (DoE) director M Alamgir, UNO of Keraniganj Abul Basar M Fakruzzaman, upazila forest official Mosharaf Hossain and DoE inspector Mihir Lal Sarkar were present. UNB adds: The government has decided to take effective measures to make Halda River and Savar Tannery Industry free from pollution. The decision was taken at the 34th taskforce committee meeting on ‘River pollution and navigability growth’, held at the Shipping Ministry, with Shipping Minister M Shajahan Khan in the chair, on Wednesday, said a handout of PID. During the meeting, it is said that some 43 big and small tannery factories have been relocated in Savar so far. The meeting also decided to continue their ongoing activities taken for saving rivers through media publicity, raising awareness among people and regular visits to stop establishing illegal structures. The meeting also stressed the need for stopping the construction work along two sides of the river until the end of the re-survey work conducted by the authorities concerned. Land Minister Shamsur Rahman Sharif, Housing and Public Works Minister Minister Engineer Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Chairman of the Parliamentary standing committee on Water Resources Affairs Ramesh Chandra Sen and representatives of different ministries concerned were present at the meeting.
