DOE wakes up to enforce laws

The Department of Environment (DOE) has asked all city service organisations not to provide any new connections to buildings that do not have environmental clearance, DOE sources said.

The DOE has even asked a leading real estate firm, Bashundhara, to explain within 15 days why it was constructing buildings without Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as required by the law.

In a recent letter to the Land Ministry, Works Ministry, Rajuk, WASA, DESA, Titas Gas and Dhaka City corporation, the DOE said that no new connections should be installed in these buildings without the clearance.

The DOE sources said this was an unprecedented move by the department to implement the law of the land. They also said none of the city buildings has ever obtained any such certificate from the DOE.

The Environment Conservation Act 1995 and Environment Conservation Rules 1997 require almost all developers to apply to the DOE for environmental clearance prior to construction.

The DOE issues the Environment Clearance Certificate after it reviews the initial environmental report that has to be submitted by the developer. The developer is also required, at one stage, to submit Environment Management Plan to the DOE.

When asked whether the DOE has the resources to monitor such a big sector, a top official replied in the negative but said, "We are not asking every construction firm to obtain such clearance but only those which are involved in multi-storied buildings that are sure to have serious environmental implications."

The official said that prior to clearance, DOE would see that whether the building has a proper installation of sewerage, gas, electricity and water lines as prescribed by the department. It would also look into various aspects of environmental impact at the site.