Developer penalised

The environment authorities yesterday fined a private housing company Tk10 lakh yesterday for illegally undertaking a housing project without environmental clearance certificate.
The penalty was handed on Amin Mohammad Lands Development Limited, as they have earth-filled low-lying lands to develop a housing project in violation of environment law, said Mohammad Munir Chowdhury, director of Department of Environment (DoE).
The company has developed the project on 148 acres of land in Manda, Matuail and Dakhhingaon in the city, he said.
According to environment law, housing project is a red category establishment for which it is mandatory to obtain environmental clearance certificate.
But Amin Mohammad continued with even construction of structures without clearance despite DoE served them a show-cause notice seven years back, Munir said.
He summoned one of the company's executive directors to hand down the penalty.
The officials ordered the company to comply with all the laws to obtain environmental clearance before going ahead with the project.