Dhaka – The High Court on Thursday directed 154 tannery owners located at Hazaribagh to deposit Tk 30.85 crore to the state fund in two weeks as compensation money for damaging the environment.“The tannery owners will have to face serious consequences, if they do not comply with the High Court order,” the HC bench comprising Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Ashish Ranjan Das came up with the order during the hearing on a petition filed by the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), seeking its directive as the owners did not pay the compensation to the government exchequer as per its previous directive.
In June last year, in a verdict, the HC directed the tanners to compensate Tk 50,000 per day each for damaging the environment until they relocate their industries to Savar.
After that in response to appeals made by tannery owners, the Supreme Court in July last year ordered that every tanner owner pay Tk 10,000 per day until they relocate their tanneries from Hazaribagh to Savar for damaging and polluting the environment in the area.
But, the owners of the tanneries did not pay the compensation properly as per the apex court order.
Later, the HRPB filed another petition before the HC seeking its directive over the matter.
The High Court on January 25 summoned the industries secretary to appear before it on February 13 for placing explanation over collecting compensations from tannery owners at Hazaribagh in Dhaka for damaging the environment.
As per the HC directive, Industries Secretary Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan appeared before the High Court on February 13 and informed it 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.
After scrutinizing the HRPB petition and Industries Secretary report, the HC yesterday came up with the order, Advocate Manzill Murshid, counsel for HRPB, said. – Staff Reporter
