HC wants list of encroachers, polluters of Ichamati river in 90 days

The High Court (HC) today asked the authorities concerned of the government to submit in 90 days a list of encroachers and polluters of Pabna’s Ichamati river land area.

The court also issued a rule asking the authorities to explain in four weeks why they should not be directed to declare a 48-kilometre area of the Ichamati river an ecologically critical place.

The authorities have also been asked to show cause why they should not be directed to free the river from all encroachment and pollution by demarcating its boundary as per Cadastral Survey report.

Remove all harmful structures from the river and control the pollution by restraining the polluters, the court told the authorities concerned.

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The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman came up with the rule and order following a writ petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela) seeking necessary orders.

Writ petitioners’ lawyer advocate Sayeed Ahmed Kabir told The Daily Star that a group of local influential people have reportedly encroached land of the river and running business by constructing harmful structures in the river.

Therefore, the flow of the river has been stopped and the area has become polluted.

Earlier in 2003, the Water Development Board has prepared a list of 285 polluters and encroachers of Ichamati river in Pabna Sadar upazila.

The authorities concerned are not taking effective measures against the polluters and encroachers, according to the petition.

Advocate Minhazul Haque Chowdhury appeared for the petitioners.