The High Court yesterday issued a contempt of court rule against 11 government high officials including four secretaries for not preventing the use of excavators and explosives to extract stones from the bed of three rivers in Sylhet.
The rivers-- Piain, Dwaki and Dhala--are flowing through the district's Goainghat and Companiganj upazila.
In response to a contempt of court petition, the HC yesterday further ordered the officials to stop the use of excavators in stone quarries of the rivers and remove those to protect the ecosystem and livelihood of people in the area.
The court on January 14, 2010 had issued the same order following a writ petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA).
Since the machines were still being used, BELA on June 17 this year filed the contempt of court petition.
The officials are secretaries to the ministries of environment, land, energy and water resources, director generals of Bangladesh Water Development Board and department of environment, deputy commissioner of Sylhet, directors of mineral resources development bureau and of department of environment (Sylhet division) and upazil nirbahi officers of Goainghat and Compnaiganj.
In the rule, the officials were asked why they should not punished for contempt of court for not complying with the HC's earlier order.