The High Court today directed the authorities concerned to finish the constructions of all relevant structures including a Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) at the tannery estate in Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka, in next four weeks.

The authorities were asked to install necessary devices including bar screen and sedimentation tank for each tannery factory so that chromium and effluent wastes of the tannery industries are not mixed.

The HC also directed the authorities to submit a report before it by November 12 after complying with the directives.                            

The HC bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Md Salim passed the orders following a petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers’ Association (Bela) in August seeking necessary directives to the authorities concerned of the government and tannery owners on preventing pollution in Savar.

Bela’s Chief Executive Syeda Rizwana Hasan told The Daily Star that Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), Department of Environment, industries ministry and tannery owners have to execute the respective directives issued on them.

Advocate Rais Uddin, lawyer of tThe Ministry of Industries, told reporters his client today placed a compliance report to the HC regarding its earlier directives.

Earlier on August 24, following the same petition, the HC had directed the authorities to operate two modules of CETP waste treatment for 24 hours every day at the tannery estate in Savar to prevent pollution of the Dhaleshwari River and also directed the tannery owners to install salt treatment module in the CETP.