HC halts earth filling

The High Court yesterday directed the authorities to maintain status quo on earth filling in and encroachment of natural water bodies and wetlands in Aftabnagar Banasri housing project in Rampura-Khilgaon-Badda-Sabujbagh area of Dhaka for next three months.

Eastern Housing Ltd, which has undertaken the project, and the government have been asked to maintain status quo and to submit a progress report on the steps for complying with the order to the HC in two weeks.

In response to a writ petition, it also ordered the government to submit aerial maps specifying the water-bodies and wetlands in the project areas of 2012, 2013 and 2014 years before it in six weeks.

Secretaries to the ministries of environment and forest, and land, and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha were asked to do so through Google or satellite.

Petitioner's counsel Manzill Murshid told The Daily Star that that none could fill earth in and grab land of natural water-bodies and wetlands in Aftabnagar Banasri housing project for next three months following the HC order.

The HC also issued a rule upon the government and Eastern Housing Ltd to explain in four weeks as to why their inaction to protect the natural water-bodies and wetlands in this project should not be declared illegal.

In the rule, it asked them to show cause as to why they should not be directed to remove the soil piled in the water-bodies and wetlands in the project.

Secretaries to the ministries of environment and forest, and land and Rajuk, director general and director (enforcement) of department of environment (DoE), deputy commissioner of Dhaka, Eastern Housing Ltd, and officers-in-charge of Rampura, Khilgaon, Badda and Sabujbagh police stations have been made respondents to the rule.

The HC bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman came up with the order and rule after hearing the writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.

The organisation submitted the petition on March 5 seeking necessary order from the HC on the authorities to protect the natural water-bodies and wetlands in the housing project.

During hearing, Manzill Murshid told the court that DoE has approved the Aftabnagar Banasri housing project on condition that its water-bodies, wetlands and canals will be protected, but plots are being made through earth filling in water-bodies and wetlands, which is illegal.