Extraction of white clay in Netrakona illegal: HC

The High Court today declared illegal the extraction of white clay in three mouzas of Durgapur upazila in Netrokona.

The court also upheld its earlier order that asked the authorities concerned of the government to stop unauthorised extraction of white clay from Arapara, Panchkahaniya and Maizpur mouzas under the upazila.

The bench of Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice Md Ataur Rahman Khan came up with the verdict following a writ petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) challenging the legality of unplanned cutting of hills and hillocks and indiscriminate and unauthorised extraction of white clay in three mouzas.

Bela chief Advocate Syeda Rizwana Hasan told The Daily Star that 10 identified companies had been extracting white clay from Arapara, Panchkahaniya and Maizpur mouzas through cutting hills and hillocks without having lease and environmental clearance certificates.  

As a result, environment and biodiversity were damaged in those areas and indigenous people including Hajong and Garo community whose livelihood depends on hills and forest were victimized, she added.

Systematic extraction of white clay started in 1969. But those 10 companies have been extracting white clay from those areas of Netrokona without any lease contract and environmental clearance certificate. 

In this situation, Bela submitted the writ petition to the HC in November 2015 seeking necessary orders to protect the environment.     

Following the petition, the HC on March 14, 2016 ordered the government to immediately stop unauthorised extraction of white clay from three mouzas of Netrokona.