SC upholds order to close Hazaribagh tanneries

The Supreme Court today upheld a High Court order that directed the director general (DG) of the Department of Environment to immediately close tanneries running at Hazaribagh and disconnect their utility services.

The three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha dismissed a petition seeking a stay on the HC order.

READ MORE: Close tanneries at Hazaribagh

While talking to The Daily Star, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association's (BELA) chief executive Syeda Rizwana Hasan said the DG of the Department of Environment must shut down the tannery industries at Hazaribagh and disconnect their utility services following the SC order.

The chairman of Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leather Goods and Footwear Exporters Association submitted the petition to the apex court on Thursday seeking a stay of the HC order.

READ ALSO: Tanners must go, but with less compensation

On March 6, the HC directed the government to immediately shut down the tanneries operating at Hazaribagh in Dhaka.

Following a writ petition filed by Bela, the High Court in June 2009 directed the tannery owners to move the tanneries from Hazaribagh to Savar. 

The deadline was extended to April 2011 in October 2010.

On December last year, the industries secretary issued a notice saying that no raw leather will enter Hazaribagh after March 31, 2017 and no tannery will operate there after March 31, 2017.

READ MORE: Relocated Tanneries: Liquid waste pollutes river

Bela, on January 3 this year, submitted the petition to the HC saying that the industries secretary cannot extend the time for relocating the tanneries from Hazaribagh without permission from the HC.