Editorial
Tannery relocation
Will it remain an eternally unfinished agenda?
THE High Court has given another six months to the government and tannery owners to relocate the tanneries from the city's Hazaribagh area to Savar. The extension of the deadline for shifting the tanneries located at a densely populated area, however, comes in the wake of almost nothing being done by either owners or the government in the last few years to relocate the environmentally dangerous tannery units. The government's plan has been to give the smaller tannery units the facility of using on payment a centrally placed ETP at a special industrial zone at Savar which has not come off the drawing board as yet.
The court ruling issued in June last year asked the government to relocate the tanneries or close them down by February 28 this year. So, the court placed due emphasis on the issue as tanneries in their existing location has had highly negative impact on the city's environment. But the owners could do nothing that fell in their part to do, in the last eight months except applying for yet another time extension.
So the ground situation has remained unchanged despite repeated reminders by environmental activists and the media which were bolstered by the court order.
In the meantime, industrial effluents are being dumped into the mortally sick Buriganga -- much the same way as the owners did in the past. The people living around the tanneries remain exposed to the pollution which causes various ailments including respiratory and skin problems. It is a matter of great concern that a huge number of people were born and are growing up in the vicinity of tanneries.
Now the question is, what is going on? There is a clear order from the highest court on relocation of the tanneries. The owners appear to be happy with their tactic of applying for time again and again. But the matter must come to an end. The concern expressed by many over the presence of tanneries in the city has to be translated into corrective action.
Now, the government has to take a tough stand on the issue. Environmental hazards associated with tanneries are far too great to be ignored or handled without a sense of urgency. We expect that relocation of tanneries will take place before the expiry of the latest time limit, at least a tangible headway should be made suggesting that relocation is firmly on course.
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