Habiganj Environment Court orders DoE to take steps against harms caused by brick kilns
The Environment Court in Habiganj today issued a suo moto order on the Department of Environment (DoE) in the district -- to prevent environmental disaster caused by brick kilns that are violating laws.
The order was issued by Paban Chandra Barman, senior judicial magistrate of Habiganj and special magistrate for Environment Court in the district. This is the first order of the court after its formation on November 11.
The order directed the Deputy Director of DoE in Habiganj to investigate whether any crime has been committed in the brick kilns in the district by violating the law and to provide detailed information about necessary clearances of the brick kilns in the district.
In the order, the magistrate mentioned that a report on environmental damages by brick kilns was published in the daily Amar Habiganj on November 18 which drew the attention of the court.
The report stated that around 120 brick kilns, half of them without necessary environmental clearances, were polluting air, using topsoil of farmland and burning wood collected from forests.
The court observed that many brick kilns are being set up and operated without environmental or location clearances and licenses, and causing environmental pollution which is applicable under Sections 9 and 15 (1) of the Environment Conservation Act 1995 and Table 10 of the act.
The court also ruled that burning bricks using wood is a prohibited and punishable offence under Amended Section 6 of the Brick Burning (Control) Act, 1989.
The court directed the Deputy Director of Habiganj DoE to submit an investigation report by December 22 after analysing the news and obtaining testimonies to identify the accused and uncover any offences in the light of the Environment Conservation Act or any other law.
The court also asked to submit a report by December 2 on how many brick kilns are currently in operation in the district, how many have environmental or location clearances and approvals, how many are unauthorised, how many environmental or location clearances have expired, what legal action has been taken against unlicensed or unauthorised brick kilns, whether 120 feet high chimneys were installed in the kilns and how many cases were filed in the court against the violators.
Contacted, Mizanur Rahman, deputy director of DoE in Habiganj, said, "We have not yet received the copy of the court order. As soon as the order is received, we will obey any order by the court accordingly."