HC orders govt to form high-powered panel to curb Dhaka air pollution

The High Court has ordered the government to form a high-powered committee headed by the environment secretary which will formulate a guideline to curb the world’s worst air pollution in and around Dhaka city.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 26 Nov 2019, 02:19 PM
Updated : 26 Nov 2019, 02:20 PM

The bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahsan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader gave the orders following a petition filed by lawyer Manzill Murshid who appeared for Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.

The committee that would compromise the chief executives of Dhaka North and South city corporations, WASA managing director, and representatives from BRTA and DESCO has been asked to report back to the court with a month.

The higher court also ordered the government to conduct a mobile court to shut the illegal brick kilns in five districts -- Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur, Munshiganj and Manikganj -- in 15 days for reducing air pollution.

The city corporations will have to remove the dust, dirt, waste and garbage in seven days, if required, from the roads, sidewalks, flyovers, walkways and other places.

The court will pass the next orders on Jan 5, 2020, according to lawyer Murshid

On Jan 21, 2018, the group filed the petition with the court following a media report on Dhaka’s air pollution.

Following the petition, on Jan 28 of the same year, the court ordered the government to take steps to conduct mobile court twice a week against those responsible for air pollution in Dhaka.

The court had also directed the authorities to act within 15 days so that the on-going development and repair works at construction sites in Dhaka do not further pollute the air. It also asked the relevant authorities to spray water twice a day at the dust-affected areas in the capital city.

The court issued a rule asking the government why the inaction of the administration to curb air pollution in Dhaka city should not be deemed illegal.

In the rule, it also asked the government to reply within two weeks as to why it should not be directed to take effective steps to stop air pollution in Dhaka.

Dhaka is the top polluted city in the world, according to Air Quality Index released by the World Health Organisation on Monday.