Ecologically Critical Area
Protect Jhilonja Mouza in Cox's Bazar
HC asks govt
The High Court yesterday directed the government to take necessary steps to protect the natural characteristics of Jhilonja Mouza, an ecologically critical area in Cox's Bazar, from encroachment.
Delivering a verdict on a writ petition, the court also asked the authorities concerned to take steps so that soil of the mouja cannot be cut and structures cannot be built there.
The HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore came up with the verdict after holding hearing on the writ petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela).
Bela filed the petition as a public interest litigation in November 2006 seeking necessary directives on the government to protect Jhilonja Mouza, which was declared as ecologically critical area on April 19, 1999, from encroachment.
The HC on November 29, 2006, had issued a rule upon the government to explain why it should not be directed take necessary steps to protect the area.
The government did not make any reply to the rule.
Advocate Iqbal Kabir Lytton appeared for Bela, while Deputy Attorney General ABM Altaf Hossain represented the government.
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