Dhaka – Green activists here on Saturday demanded immediate cancellation of the plots allocated for tanners as they failed to relocate their factories from Hazaribagh to Savar within the stipulated time, Unb news agency reported.
They also demanded penalising the tanners for their failure to relocate their factories to the designated tannery estate and putting an end to the operation of tanneries of Hazaribagh.Addressing a press conference, they urged the authorities concerned to disconnect utility services-electricity, gas and water connections-to all the tanneries running in Hazaribagh area.
Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba), a voluntary organisation, arranged the press conference at its Kalabagan office to present its observations on tannery relocation.
Reading out a keynote paper, Poba general secretary Eng Abdus Sobhan said the government gave time manifolds asking the tannery owners to relocate their tanneries from Hazaribagh to Savar but they have failed to do so.
On January 3 last, he said, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu instructed the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) to shut down the tanneries that would fail to shift to Savar within 72 hours.
Sohban said the government stopped supply of raw hide to Hazaribagh on April1 last and extended deadline of tannery relocation up to April 10, 2016.
“But, tannery owners also missed new deadline of tannery relocation. They want new time till Eid-ul-Azha, he added.
The green activists urged the government to realise Tk 2,500 crore from tanneries as environmental compensation under the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995.
Poba coordinator Atiq Morshed and Modren Club president Abul Hasnat, among others, spoke at the press conference.
