The High Court today directed the Hazaribagh tannery owners to deposit Tk 30.85 crore to the state fund in two weeks as they did not pay the compensation money for damaging the environment.
The Supreme Court in July last year ordered that every tanner owner pay Tk 10,000 per day for damaging and polluting the environment in the area.
The SC also ordered the tanners to relocate their industries to Savar from Hazaribagh.
Industries Secretary Industries Secretary Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan appeared before the High Court on February 13 as per its January 25 order.
He informed the court that 154 tanneries, which are operating in Hazaribagh area in Dhaka, have not paid Tk 30.85 crore in compensation for damaging and polluting the environment.
Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, which filed the petition with the High Court for compensation, today sought the court’s directives in this regard seeking compensation.
The High Court on January 25 summoned the industries secretary to appear before it on February 7 for placing explanation over collecting compensations from tannery owners at Hazaribagh in Dhaka for damaging the environment.
The HC passed the order following a petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) recently.
Petitioner’s counsel Manzill Murshid told reporters on January 25 that the HC in June last year directed the tanners to compensate Tk 50,000 per day each for damaging the environment until they relocate their industries to Savar.
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in July, 2016 ordered each of the tanneries to compensate Tk 10,000 per day after modifying the HC directive, he said.
Source: The Daily Star
