The High Court on Wednesday directed the government to stop encroachments and earth-filling of the Turag as well as illegal constructions on the river within 48 hours.
The deputy commissioner of Gazipur has been asked to submit a report providing names and addresses of the land grabbers and their companies within three weeks.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority chairman, directors-general of Bangladesh Water Development Board and the Department of Environment, the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Gazipur, the officers-in-charge of Tongi and Turag police stations were asked to submit compliance report at the next hearing on November 27 after stopping the encroachments.
The court also asked the authorities to explain in four weeks why their failure to protect the Turag River from encroachments, earth-filing and illegal construction should not be declared illegal.
A bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Mohammad Ullah passed the order after hearing a public interest litigation writ petition.
The petitioner, Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh drew the court’s attention to alarming increase in encroachments in the Turag Rivers as a daily reported on November 6.
Petitioner’s lawyer Manzill Murshid submitted in the court that encroachers grabbed Turag’s foreshore taking advantage of demarcation pillars established by the authorities leaving much of the river’s foreshore outside the demarcation pillars.
Quoting the daily’s report, Manzill informed the court that the Turag River had narrowed down to a 100 feet stream just on the north of Birulia Bridge.
All the grabbing, encroachments and earth-filing were occurring with the authorities turning a blind eye, he informed the court.
The court issued the order when the government assigned taskforce failed to stop continuing encroachments of Buriganga, Turag, Sitalakkhya and the Balu rivers and dumping pollutants in them.
In 2009, the High Court had directed the government to take steps to stop the encroachments earth-filling and illegal construction on the four rivers and demolish all structures built on them.
In the same verdict, the High Court had asked the government to correctly demarcate the boundaries of the four rivers following the cadastral survey – in four months and report compliance by December 15, 2009. – See more at: http://www.newagebd.net/article/2437/hc-asks-govt-to-stop-encroachment-earth-filing-in-turag-river#sthash.pZ9HPFlO.dpuf
The deputy commissioner of Gazipur has been asked to submit a report providing names and addresses of the land grabbers and their companies within three weeks.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority chairman, directors-general of Bangladesh Water Development Board and the Department of Environment, the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Gazipur, the officers-in-charge of Tongi and Turag police stations were asked to submit compliance report at the next hearing on November 27 after stopping the encroachments.
The court also asked the authorities to explain in four weeks why their failure to protect the Turag River from encroachments, earth-filing and illegal construction should not be declared illegal.
A bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Mohammad Ullah passed the order after hearing a public interest litigation writ petition.
The petitioner, Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh drew the court’s attention to alarming increase in encroachments in the Turag Rivers as a daily reported on November 6.
Petitioner’s lawyer Manzill Murshid submitted in the court that encroachers grabbed Turag’s foreshore taking advantage of demarcation pillars established by the authorities leaving much of the river’s foreshore outside the demarcation pillars.
Quoting the daily’s report, Manzill informed the court that the Turag River had narrowed down to a 100 feet stream just on the north of Birulia Bridge.
All the grabbing, encroachments and earth-filing were occurring with the authorities turning a blind eye, he informed the court.
The court issued the order when the government assigned taskforce failed to stop continuing encroachments of Buriganga, Turag, Sitalakkhya and the Balu rivers and dumping pollutants in them.
In 2009, the High Court had directed the government to take steps to stop the encroachments earth-filling and illegal construction on the four rivers and demolish all structures built on them.
In the same verdict, the High Court had asked the government to correctly demarcate the boundaries of the four rivers following the cadastral survey – in four months and report compliance by December 15, 2009. – See more at: http://www.newagebd.net/article/2437/hc-asks-govt-to-stop-encroachment-earth-filing-in-turag-river#sthash.pZ9HPFlO.dpuf
Source: New Age
