Govt shuts down illegal brick kilns in 5 districts: DoE

An illegal brick kiln in Savar during a drive by mobile court.
The government has shut down all illegal brick kilns in five districts — Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur, Munshiganj, and Manikganj in line with a High Court directive.

The Department of Environment said this in a report sent to the attorney general’s office today for placing it before the High Court, Deputy Attorney General Abdullah-Al-Mahmud Bashar told The Daily Star.

DAG Bashar, however, could not specifically say how many illegal brick kilns have been shut down following the HC order.

He said that the government has formed a 16-member high-powered committee, led by the environment secretary, in order to work for reducing air pollution in and around the capital and to find out how the air is being polluted.

The committee has also sent a report to the attorney general’s office saying that it has taken 13 decisions about reducing the air pollution in Dhaka, DAG Bashar said, adding that he will place the reports to the HC tomorrow.

He could not tell details about the decisions.

During hearing a writ petition, the HC on November 26 last year ordered the government to conduct mobile court drives to shut down the illegal brick kilns in five districts — Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur, Munshiganj, and Manikganj — within 15 days.

The court directed the authorities to take necessary measures to remove dust and waste from streets, footpaths, and flyovers in the capital within seven days.

The HC bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader passed order few days after worrying data regarding the capital’s air pollution was made public.

The authorities have also been asked to have water sprayed in dust-affected areas, walls, and trees in the city at least twice a day.

At the same time, the HC asked the government to form a high-powered committee, led by the environment secretary, for reducing air pollution in and around the capital and to find out how the air is being polluted.

thedailystar

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