River Pollution
Taiwanese factory fined Tk 39 lakh
The Department of Environment (DoE) yesterday fined a Taiwanese-owned dyeing factory Tk 39 lakh in Bhaluka of Mymensingh on the charge of polluting the river Khiro.
Mohammad Munir Chowdhury, director of DoE, handed down the penalty, said a press release.
The Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) of the factory, Shepherd Yarn Ltd, was faulty and connected to a bypass drain to let the toxic liquid flow into the river, said Munir.
He said the factory had so far released 12 crore litres of untreated liquid waste with lethal chemical into the river, destroying much of its fish resources, aquatic life and biodiversity.
An examination of the factory's effluent at DoE laboratory revealed that the contents of dissolved oxygen was nil, he said, adding that such effluents were deadly for natural environment and could cause cancer if they penetrated the human body through the food chain.
Winston Kao, chairman of the factory, pleaded for exemption of the penalty on his being a foreign entrepreneur though he said that environment laws in Taiwan were very stringent and penalty was much higher for causing pollution there, said Munir.
"In reply, I said that the environment laws in Bangladesh are stringent too and one has to abide by them rigorously," he told The Daily Star. "We welcome foreign investment, not pollution."
The factory owner gave an undertaking that he would rectify the treatment plant's fault as soon as possible, Munir said.
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