As part of its drives against environmental pollution, the Department of Environment (DoE) has sealed off a cigarette manufacturing company for running the enterprise illegally without obtaining an Environment Clearance Certificate (ECC).
The errant cigarette manufacturer was identified as International Tobacco Industries Ltd, located at the city’s Kalurghat Industrial Area.
A team led by DoE Director (Chittagong Metro) Md Nurullah Noori conducted the drive on Wednesday.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, DoE Deputy Director Miah Mahmudul Hoque said that the errant cigarette manufacturer, despite repeated warnings, was running its factory illegally.
“The utility connections including power and gas were also severed during the drive,” said the DoE official.
Earlier on September 4 last year, the DoE fined the same cigarette manufacturer with Tk70 lakh for running its factory with any clearance certificate from the DoE.
Later, on 6 July this year, it was fined Tk200,000 again for operating without any environmental clearance. Even then, the tobacco factory continued activities without submitting documents for obtaining the clearance.
The Department of Environment has finally sealed off and disconnected the gas and electricity connections at the company as it repeatedly violated written and verbal instructions.
Meanwhile, the authority has fined nine other organizations of Chittagong division more than Tk4 lakh for not having environmental clearance, breach of conditions and razing hills.