Chittagong, July 17 –The Department of Environment on Wednesday suspended the production of Picking power plant in Hathazari Upazila and fined it Tk 20 lakh (Taka 2mn) on the charge of polluting Halda river by dumping wastes. The Halda is the last remaining natural carp spawning ground in Bangladesh.
The DOE gave the order to the authorities of the 100MW power plant during a hearing on Wednesday on allegation of polluting the river by dumping wastes.
Muktadir Hassan, assistant director of DoE, said after visiting the power plant they found evidence of environment pollution by running the plant without setting up an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) and dumping effluent into the river.
The power plant was also asked to keep production suspended until the installation of an ETP for treatment of effluents that it generates. Legal steps will be taken if the plant fails to comply with the order.
Fries released by carps in the Halda River during the spawning season are harvested by fishermen and are used for carp farming in ponds across Bangladesh. – GreenWatch Dhaka Desk with UNB
