HC halts operation of five Ctg factories

The High Court yesterday issued an injunction prohibiting five factories in Chittagong from continuing its operations until they obtain environmental clearance certificates from the proper authorities.   
The factories, Banoful and Company (Food Products), Banoful Mineral Water, Ambia Paper Mills, Mostofa Paper Products, and Anwara Paper Mills, are located at Habilashdweep union in Patiya upazila.
Responding to a writ petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association, the court also ordered a total of eight factories, including the five, to stop unauthorised and indiscriminate extraction of groundwater which has already lowered the groundwater level.
As a result, people of Charkanai, Hulaine, Pantchuria and Habilashdweep villages of the union cannot extract groundwater by using tubewells, said petitioner's counsel Iqbal Kabir Lytton.    
The eight factories, including Ambia Dyeing and Knitting Mills, Hakkani Paper and Pulps, and Shah Amanat Dyeing and Knitting, also have been asked not to dump waste in agricultural land and canals, he added.
The HC also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the government and the eight factories to explain in four weeks as to why such hazardous and polluting operations should not be declared illegal.
And the respondents were also asked to explain why the five villages should not be declared water-short areas and why they should not be ordered to arrange drinking and household water for the villagers.