Staff Reporter :
Ignoring Supreme Court’s order, capital’s Hazaribagh tannery owners are not paying compensation money to the government for polluting the environment.
According to SC order, each tannery owners would have to pay Tk 10,000 everyday and Tk 3,00,000 (three lakh) per month as compensation for polluting the environment.
However, owners of 98 out of 154 tanneries have deposited Tk 55.9 lakh with the national exchequer as compensation between August 11 and August 16. But they have not been paying the compensation since August 17 to till date.
On August 9, Supreme Court lawyer Manzill Murshid sent a legal notice to the Industries Secretary asking him to submit a report to the High Court on whether the 154 Hazaribagh tannery owners
are paying compensation for damaging the environment.
On June 16 last, the High Court asked each of 154 tannery owners to pay Tk 50,000 in compensation every day until they relocate their factories to Savar. It also ordered the industries secretary to monitor whether they pay the compensations, and submit reports to it from time to time.
As the Tannery Owners’ Association filed a leave to appeal petition against the High Court order, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld the HC order resetting the compensation amount at Tk 10,000 per day on July 17.
During a visit to Savar Tannery Estate, it was found that some 100 factories completed their construction works. The rest of the factories construction works are underway.
The construction of the Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) was going on in full swing, said Project Director Abdul Qaiyum.
The water treatment plant got power supply and they were ready to provide water connections to the factories. About 50 factories applied for the water connections. 40 factories applied for electricity connection and 20 of them received it, he said.
According to the government estimates, some 21,000 cubic meters of untreated effluent released in the Buriganga from the Hazaribagh leather industry everyday.
Apart from the hides, traders pilled up bones, heads, horns and hoofs of the sacrificial animals as these parts are used for different purposes.
Replying to a query about the relocation, Tanners Association President Shaheen Ahmed said, they need at least six months to relocate all the factories from Hazaribagh to Savar.
Six tanneries have started production in Savar leather estate and other 30 have already setup equipment there. Currently, 95 factories are in operation in Hazaribagh while 65 others have stopped operation, he said.
Ignoring Supreme Court’s order, capital’s Hazaribagh tannery owners are not paying compensation money to the government for polluting the environment.
According to SC order, each tannery owners would have to pay Tk 10,000 everyday and Tk 3,00,000 (three lakh) per month as compensation for polluting the environment.
However, owners of 98 out of 154 tanneries have deposited Tk 55.9 lakh with the national exchequer as compensation between August 11 and August 16. But they have not been paying the compensation since August 17 to till date.
On August 9, Supreme Court lawyer Manzill Murshid sent a legal notice to the Industries Secretary asking him to submit a report to the High Court on whether the 154 Hazaribagh tannery owners
are paying compensation for damaging the environment.
On June 16 last, the High Court asked each of 154 tannery owners to pay Tk 50,000 in compensation every day until they relocate their factories to Savar. It also ordered the industries secretary to monitor whether they pay the compensations, and submit reports to it from time to time.
As the Tannery Owners’ Association filed a leave to appeal petition against the High Court order, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld the HC order resetting the compensation amount at Tk 10,000 per day on July 17.
During a visit to Savar Tannery Estate, it was found that some 100 factories completed their construction works. The rest of the factories construction works are underway.
The construction of the Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) was going on in full swing, said Project Director Abdul Qaiyum.
The water treatment plant got power supply and they were ready to provide water connections to the factories. About 50 factories applied for the water connections. 40 factories applied for electricity connection and 20 of them received it, he said.
According to the government estimates, some 21,000 cubic meters of untreated effluent released in the Buriganga from the Hazaribagh leather industry everyday.
Apart from the hides, traders pilled up bones, heads, horns and hoofs of the sacrificial animals as these parts are used for different purposes.
Replying to a query about the relocation, Tanners Association President Shaheen Ahmed said, they need at least six months to relocate all the factories from Hazaribagh to Savar.
Six tanneries have started production in Savar leather estate and other 30 have already setup equipment there. Currently, 95 factories are in operation in Hazaribagh while 65 others have stopped operation, he said.
