The High Court on Monday directed to submit a report preparing a complete list of individuals and institutions involved in encroachment and pollution of Labundha (Labolang) river flowing through Gazipur district.
This instruction has been given to the Director General of the Department of Environment (DoE) and the Deputy Commissioner of Gazipur.
At the same time, the Department of Environment has been directed to constantly monitor and inspect whether the Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) is effective in the industrial establishments near the river and regularly check the quality of the river water.
The court asked to give a report in this matter as well.
A bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Muhammad Mahbub Ul Islam passed the order along with the preliminary hearing of a writ on Monday.
The High Court also issued a rule seeking an explanation why the failure of the defendants to protect the Labundha River from encroachment and pollution should not be declared illegal and against public interest.
The rule also asked why the river would not be declared as an ecologically critical area and why instructions for management should not be issued accordingly.
Apart from this, according to the CS survey or the main flow, the river has been demarcated by setting up boundary pillars, evicting all encroachers on the river border and protecting the river by controlling pollution.
Environment secretary, secretary of Ministry of Water Resources, land secretary, secretary of Local Government Department, chairman of National River Protection Commission, Director General of Environment Directorate, Director General of Bangladesh Water Development Board, Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police of Gazipur, Sripur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Mayor of Sripur Municipality and Managing Director of 10 industrial establishments, have been asked to respond the rule within four weeks.
Bangladesh Environmental Law Association (Bela) filed the writ seeking necessary directions to protect Labundha or Labolang river.
According to Bela, Labundha river (also known as Labolang) from Mauna union of Sripur upazila of Gazipur meets Turag river in Mirzapur union of Sadar upazila of the district. Like other rivers of the country, this 23 km long river is also in crisis of existence due to encroachment and pollution. Hundreds of factories have been built by occupying and filling this river.
Bela filed the writ on June 8 to protect the river from encroachment and pollution.
According to the writ, the river is currently being used as a means of discharge of polluted water including polluted effluents from nearby factories. Apart from this, municipal waste including medical and plastic waste is being dumped in the river.
Advocate Mohammad Ashraf Ali heard the writ in court. He was accompanied by lawyers Shamima Nasreen and S Hasanul Banna.
Deputy Attorney General Samarendra Nath Biswas was present at the hearing for the state.