Bangladesh High Court bans filling of Dolairpar pond, Dhaka
The honorable High Court has imposed a three-month ban on constructing a secondary transfer station (STS) to fill up ponds and manage waste at Dolairpara in Dhaka’s capital.
The High Court bench comprising Justice Md. Mojibur Rahman Mia and justice. Md Kamrul Hossain, with a preliminary hearing of a writ, passed the order along with the rules.
The Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) filed the writ petition seeking necessary instructions to protect the Dolairpar pond. Lawyer Mohammad Ashraf Ali appeared for the writ petition. Deputy Attorney General Nowroz Md Russell Chowdhury was on behalf of the state.
According to BELA, the pond in the Jurain Mouza of Dolairpar, located near a populated area of Ward No. 51 under Shampur Police Station of Dhaka South City Corporation.
Filling the pond of about four acres, Dhaka South City Corporation has recently started implementing the STS construction project for waste management. One-third of the pond has already been filled.
About 30,000 people live in this residential area. The pond’s water has played a role for a long time in the drainage of household water and during firefighting.
Mohammad Ashraf Ali, lawyer of the petitioner, confirm the three-month ban onSTS construction by filling the pond by the Court. He said, “The rule sought to know why the defendants’ failure to protect, restore and preserve the pond from filling would not be declared illegal and against the public interest.”
At the same time, The rule also asked why no instructions would get given to restore, preserve and maintain the pond.
Ten defendants, including the mayor of Dhaka South City, secretary of the environment ministry, director-general of the environment department, chairman of the National River Protection Commission, and the Capital Development Authority, got asked to respond to the rule.
