The Department of Environment, Bangladesh Fined Various Organizations Tk.15 crore (Tk.150 ml) for Environmental pollution
By Amila Khan
The Department of Environment has fined various organizations and individuals on multiple charges, including environmental pollution, cutting down hills, filling ponds, and running organizations without environmental clearance.
Since last January, the Department of Environment has fined more than four hundred individuals and organizations in the Chattogram region and the metropolis.
Although the activities were closed for two months during Corona, the Department of Environment has carried out regular enforcement before and after COVID 19.
From January to August, the Chattogram Regional Office of the Department of Environment fined 359 organizations and individuals a total of Tk 1148.26 lakh (Tk.114.83 ml) on various charges environmental pollution, cutting hills, filling ponds, operating organizations without environmental clearance.
And the Chattogram Metropolitan Office of the Department of Environment has imposed a fine of Tk.3.93 lakh from January to June.
Against these fines, from January to August, the Chattogram Regional Office of the Department of Environment has collected Tk. 341.80 lakh (Tk.34.18 ml), and from January to June, Tk.50.38 lakh (Tk.5.04 ml) has been collected in Chattogram metropolis.
According to the concerned sources, the Chattogram Regional Office of the Department of Environment fined a total of Tk.121.15 lakh (Tk.12.12 ml) to 60 individuals and organizations in January, Tk 693.25 lakh (69.33 ml) to 84 individuals and organizations in February, and Tk.211.80 lakh (Tk.21.18 ml) to 119 individuals and organizations in March.
In June, four individuals and organizations were fined Tk 4.20 lakh (Tk.0.42 ml). On July 15, individuals and organizations were fined Tk 42.11 lakh (4.21 ml), and in August, 77 individuals and organizations were fined Tk 111.75 lakh (Tk.11.18 ml).
Tk.100.25 lakh in January, Tk. 87.55 lakh in February, Tk.104.74 lakh in March, Tk.4 lakh taka in June, Taka 32.21 lakh in July, and Tk. 13.05 lakh in August has been collected.
At the Chattogram Metropolitan Office of the Department of Environment, six individuals and organizations were fined Tk.5.46 lakh in January. Of those 22 individuals and organizations fined Tk.179.90 lakh in February, 13 individuals and organizations were fined Tk.22.44 lakh in March. In June, nine individuals and organizations were fined Tk.92.95 lakh.
Taka 1.62 lakh in January, Tk.16.12 lakh in February, Tk.14.14 lakh in March, and Tk.18.50 lakh in June has been collected.
Mia Mahmudul Haque, Deputy Director of the Chattogram metropolitan office of the Department of Environment, told Banglanews, “We are conducting regular campaigns against environmental pollution and cutting small hills.
Violators of environmental laws are being punished. Those who harm the environment are being fined.”
Mohammad Moazzam Hossain, Director of the Chattogram Regional Office of the Department of Environment, told Banglanews,
“We are not giving exemption to any person or organization that harms the environment. We are punishing those who need to be punished harshly; we are suing those who need to be prosecuted.
We have taken adequate steps to protect the environment.”
“Protecting the environment is essential for us to survive in a healthy world,” he said. “We will punish those who pollute the environment, cut down the mountains, and upset the balance of the environment and become a threat to biodiversity.”
Source: Green Page
