Govt to move those across Buriganga
The government yesterday decided to relocate all warehouses and factories of inflammable chemicals in the capital to either Keraniganj or Kamrangirchar.
The decision came at an inter-ministerial meeting held at the home ministry where a taskforce, which was formed following the June 3 Nimtoli inferno, submitted its report with 19-point recommendation.
Home Minister Sahara Khatun revealed the information after the meeting at her office.
Following the devastating Nimtoli fire that killed 123 people, the government on July 29 last year formed the taskforce headed by Joint Secretary Iqbal Khan Chowdhury of the home ministry to find out means to stop recurrence of such accidents.
Sahara said, "We formed two separate committees -- one headed by a joint secretary of the industries ministry and the other headed by the chairman of Bangladesh Institute of Small Industry and Cottage [BSCIC] -- to relocate the chemicals warehouses and factories.
"We have already removed factories and warehouses of most of 20 types of inflammable chemicals from the capital," she added.
Industries Minister Dilip Barua said the taskforce made 14 long-term and five short-term recommendations.
The recommendations include shifting warehouses and factories of inflammable chemicals to a safer place, intensification of mobile court drives against illegal chemicals warehouses and industries, and giving no permission to set up such installations within 10 metres of academic institutions, mosques, community centres or public space.
The taskforce also recommended that different sorts of chemicals should be kept separately at warehouses, roads around the warehouses or factories be at least six metres in width, and "no objection" certificate by the fire service be mandatory for issuing licences to such warehouses and industries.
Deputy Secretary Salma Begum of the home ministry told reporters the government will fix deadlines to complete the tasks after formation of the two committees.
Salma said the association of chemicals warehouse owners has already proposed the government for a 10-acre plot in Keraniganj for their shifting. The government will first try to find khas land in this regard, she added.
The land acquisition committee headed by the BSCIC chairman will rehabilitate the factories and shops. The committee will also be engaged in land acquisition and earth filling in Keraniganj or Kamrangirchar in this regard.
Meanwhile, a technical committee headed by an industries ministry joint secretary will work to implement the 19-point recommendation submitted by the taskforce.
There are around 1,000 chemical warehouses and factories, of which only 127 have licence, said a home ministry official.
Land Minister Rezaul Karim Hira was also present along with Industries Minister Dilip Barua at the meeting chaired by the home minister.
Comments