Industrial group fined

The Department of Environment yesterday fined Abul Khair Group Tk 40.23 lakh for cutting hills illegally at Sitakunda upazila in Chittagong.
A DoE enforcement team on June 11 found that the company had razed hills on 1.85 acres of land, for which it did not have the permission.
That day, DoE Director Munir Chowdhury summoned Abul Khair Group's managing director to appear at the DoE Dhaka office yesterday.
He also ordered the MD to restore the area to its former state within 45 days.
The Doe director said they permitted Ahmed Valley Livestock Company, a sister concern of Abul Khair Group, for flattening hills on 12.99 acres of land for the Dhaka-Chittagong highway project.
But the company has cut hills at four places beyond authorisation and built a walkway.
It has destroyed ecological balance and increased the possibilities of landslides.
Any development work should be done after ensuring the safety of the environment, Munir added.