The Department of Environment (DoE) yesterday fined a factory a record Tk 69.87 lakh for discharging untreated liquid waste in the Bhairab River in Jessore.
This is the first ever punishment for polluting environment in the country’s South-Western region and also the highest ever penalty awarded to a factory by DoE.
The fined factory, S A F (Akiz Tannery) Industries Limited in Noapara industrial area of Jessore, is a family concern of Awami League lawmaker Afil Uddin, who is also one of the directors of the factory.
A joint team of Dhaka and Khulna unit of DoE led by Munir Chowdhury, director (Enforcement), found the tannery guilty of draining toxic liquid to the river since 1979 after examining the plant and the river.
The factory was also given stern directions to set up an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) within May 31, next year.
The DoE may disconnect gas, electricity and water supply, even take harsher legal actions, he warned, unless the factory stop polluting immediately and comply with the environmental regulations.
At least 2.20 lakh cubic meter of waste has been dumped into Bhairab River over the last year and a half which has been affecting both man and water bodies, revealed an investigation of DoE.
During inspection, the water of the river where the drain of the factory met was seen as pitch black mingled with liquid waste from the factory.
Munir Chowdhury said the factory has been served with several notices to stop the pollution over the years including two notices on January 11 and on July 26 this year that they kept ignoring.
According to Environment Conservation Rules, 1997, Setting up of Effluent Treatment Plant at waste producing factories is a must.
