Health, agri land at stake in Madhabpur upazila

With the departments of environment (DoE) and livestock (DLS) in their slumbers, unauthorised large-scale poultry farms are springing up on agricultural land in rural areas of Madhabpur upazila under Habiganj.

The farms are not only causing permanent damage to agricultural land, but also posing threat of spreading contagious diseases among thousands of inhabitants living in close proximity of the farms, said environmentalists.

Commercial farms with 100 or more poultry are considered to be large-scale farms, which are required to obtain clearance from the DoE, prior to obtaining registration from the DLS.

According to section 12 (1) of Bangladesh Environmental Protection Act, 2010, no industrial establishment or project can be set up or undertaken in any area without following due criteria to obtain clearance from the director general [of DoE].

During a visit to Kalikapur, Gopinathpur and Kamolpur villages in Madhabpur, this correspondent came across several large-scale poultry farms on leased agricultural land and near human habitations.

Around 25 thousand poultry was being reared in a farm set up on about 3.5 acres of land in Kalikapur, around 28 thousand poultry on about 3.1 acres in Gopinathpur and around 24 thousand poultry was being reared in a farm on about 2.7 acres of land near Abu Saleh Mazar in Kamolpur. There was another poultry farm under construction on 6.1 acres of land with a rearing capacity of 32 thousand poultry in Kamolpur near Hazratpur Shahjalal (RA) Alim Madrasa.

Al these farms are being operated by one company under the name of Quality Integrated Agro Limited (QIAL). 

Many of the villagers requesting anonymity told this correspondent that they had been suffering from various respiratory and other diseases after the farms were set up near their homes.

But they said they did not dare to speak up about their health or environmental concerns fearing repercussions of the "powerful owners" of the farms.   

Abdul Qaiyum, a member of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolan (Bapa), said, during their visit to the three villages, they were allowed to enter only one of the poultry farms.

He said signs of environmental pollution were found as farm waste and dead poultry were being dumped indiscriminately in the open and in pits made around the farm compounds.

Surroundings near the dump sites were impassable due to severe stench and infestation of flies, he said, adding that a good number of villagers were found to be suffering from respiratory and various other illnesses since the farms started operating near their homes.  

Anisur Rahman Adil, principal of Hazratpur Shahjalal (RA) Alim Madrasa in Kamolpur, said the large-scale poultry farm under construction near the institution will disrupt educational activities of students and teachers.

Besides posing environmental and health risks to thousands, it will damage agricultural land in the area for good, he also said. 

Madhabpur Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer AHM Ishtiaq Mamun said, "Health of people living near these farms is at risk. They run the risk of contracting numerous diseases including lung, respiratory, allergic and dermatological diseases."

Tofazzal Sohel, general secretary of Bapa's Habiganj unit, said Quality Integrated Agro Limited has been in operation for three years and it is inexplicable how the large-scale farms are running without proper authorisation for years.

Section 16 of the law on prevention and control of animal diseases, enacted in 2005, made it mandatory to register commercial poultry farms with DLS and violation of the law is a punishable offence under section 25, he added.

Contacted, Madhabpur Upazila Livestock Officer Mujibur Rahman said in the three villages of the upazila, there are about 20 poultry farms and most are small-scale.

Admitting that QIAL has been running large-scale farms in the villages without registration with the DLS for three years, he said they asked QIAL to submit environmental clearance first, after the firm applied for registration with the DLS on January 10.

Asked how QIAL could continue their business for so long without registration, he said he was unable to answer as he was posted in the upazila only recently. 

Fayez Ahmed, assistant general manager of QIAL, claimed that since the government gives incentives to set up poultry farms, there is no need for any approval.

Despite that, they recently have applied for registration with DLS, he added.

Emran Hossain, director of DoE in Sylhet, said they would take action against any poultry farm that is harming the environment. 

Photo: Mintu Deshwara  Farm waste and dead poultry dumped indiscriminately in the open near a large-scale poultry farm at Kamolpur village in Madhabpur upazila of Habiganj.