Brick kiln fined for grabbing Halda
The Department of Environment (DoE) yesterday fined a brick kiln Tk 5 lakh for grabbing the river Halda and polluting the air in Mohra of Chittagong.
A team the DoE, led by its Director (enforcement) Munir Chowdhury, penalised Akter Brick Works in a drive to prevent environment crime, says a press release.
The owner of the brickfield was ordered to cease its operations immediately and destroy the kiln's chimney and furnace by March 3. Some 8,000 bricks were also seized. The brick kiln has been operating illegally for eight years, using over 3,000 litres of water from the river Halda in Kochukhain.
It also used soil from the land beside the river to produce some 24 lakh bricks every year.
The DoE had served a notice on the owner to cease its operations in 2010.
The five-acre brickfield is also located beside a primary school and a mosque where students and devotees are exposed to the toxic fumes of the brick furnace everyday.
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