Environment Adviser CS Karim categorically told this when a delegation of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) called on him at his office yesterday with a plea to give more time.

"It is not a reasonable appeal to extend the time by one year or one and a half years. You should have done it two years ago," he told the delegation expressing his annoyance.

BTMA Chairman Abdul Hye led the delegation with the plea for time extension to set up ETP at the textile mills and factories.

The adviser told the delegation that the government would not allow the environment polluting factories to meet the needs of western consumers at the cost of the nation.

Referring to his earlier meetings with other trade bodies Karim said, "I failed to find anything positive, except appeal to extend the time at successive meetings."

He asked the factory owners to set up ETP within six months to neutralise the industrial wastes.

"Why are you so greedy? If ETP seems too costly for you and you cannot afford that, you better leave the business. You don't have any right to pollute the environment and force people to live in hazardous condition," the adviser told the textile mill and factory owners.