Factory evicted for pollution in Gazipur
Angered at environmental damage, locals set fire to "Imam Metal", as a Department of Environment (DoE) team was conducting drive in the factory at West Khanda village in Sreepur upazila, Gazipur yesterday.Photo: STAR
The Department of Environment (DoE) yesterday evicted a factory and instantly realised Tk 7 lakh as compensation for polluting the environment at Kewa West Khanda village in Sreepur upazila, Gazipur. DoE Director (enforcement) Munir Chowdhury led a drive and seized eight tonnes of different pollutant materials from "Imam Metal" and arrested the factory's owner Imam Ali. Rab-2 members accompanied the team during the drive, which was conducted following news reports telecast in an electronic media on Monday, says a DoE release. Imam Metal was set up over one acre of farmland surrounding fruit gardens without permission of the DoE. Since its inception, the factory has been discharging toxic gas into the air, polluting an adjacent area of some 1,600 acres. The inhabitants alleged that their crop production become halved due to the toxic gas release. It also causes different diseases including breathing complications.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments