Why Ichhamati won’t be declared ecologically critical: HC

The High Court on Sunday asked the authorities concerned to answer in three months as to why the 84-kilometre Ichhamati river that flows through different upazilas in Pabna won’t be declared ecologically critical site.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman, following a writ petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association seeking necessary orders to protect Ichhamati, also asked the authorities concerned to prepare a full list of encroachers and polluters of the river and submit the list to the court within 90 days.

The court also asked that authorities to show cause as to why they should not be directed to free the river from all encroachment and pollution through demarcating its boundary as per Cadastral Survey report, to remove all harmful structures from the river and to control the pollution restraining the polluters, according to a press release issued by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association.

Land affairs secretary, environment affairs secretary, water resources affairs secretary, National River Protection Commission chairman, environment department director general, Bangladesh Water Development Board director general, Pabna deputy commissioner, Pabna superintendent of police, Pabna BWDB executive engineer, Rajshahi divisional environment department director,  Pabna deputy director of environment department, Pabna municipality mayor and Upazila Nirbahi Officers of Pabna Sadar, Atgharia, Santhia and Bera upazilas were  made respondents in the HC order.

BELA said that a group of local influential people has encroached on the bank of the river and running business constructing structures, affecting the flow of the river and polluting water.

It said that a list of 285 grabbers only in eight kilometres along Pabna Sadar upazila and 66 encroachers in Santhia upazila part of the river have already been prepared.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net