‘Prepare a list of Labundha river grabbers, polluters’

The High Court yesterday directed the government to prepare a complete list of persons and industries, who are grabbing and polluting Labundha River in Gazipur, and to submit it to this court.

In response to a petition, the court ordered the government to monitor whether the effluent treatment plants, which have been set up for the industries adjacent to the river, are functional.

The HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain why their failure to protect Labundha from encroachment and pollution should not be declared illegal, unconstitutional and against public interest.

The HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Muhammad Mahbub Ul Islam issued the order and rule following a petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association on June 8.