Businessmen protest crackdown on factory owners failing to install ETPs
Sunday, 14 September 2008
M Azizur Rahman
Businessmen have protested the government's latest crackdown on the factory owners that failed to install waste-treatment plants terming it 'unwanted' and tantamounting to harassment, officials said.
They sought an integrated approach under private-public partnership to resolve the disputes and then set up such facilities so as to ensure that industrial wastes are disposed properly without affecting the environment and public health.
Environment ministry officials said it recently initiated the crackdown and as many as 38 cases already been lodged against the factory owners until Wednesday for their failure to set up effluent treatment plants (ETPs).
They said installation of ETP is mandatory for the factories that releases liquid wastes, as per the environment protection act 1995.
"We have long been pursuing the industrialists to set up such plants, which will not only safeguard environment but will also ensure compliances of their factories as per global standard," said a senior environment ministry official.
Many of the industrialists have not been paying heed to the ministry's call despite repeated motivational and awareness building attempts over the last several years, he alleged.
"We were forced to file law suits against the factory owners," he added.
Industries and the state-run agencies are disposing wastes into rivers around the capital for years resulting in hazardous condition of the river water.
Since taking office in January 2007 the incumbent government took the issue seriously and asked the environment ministry to ensure installation of ETPs at industry sites.
"We have arranged meetings as many as 20 times with the stakeholders and businessmen to ensure installation of the ETPs voluntarily," environment ministry official said.
The ministry then set October 30, 2007 as the deadline for the industrialists to set up the ETPs.
Failing to meet the deadline the factory owners raised a number of issues including necessary investments and land to set up the ETPs and sought extension of the timeframe, the environment ministry official said
The ministry later set June 30, 2008 as the deadline for submitting plans by the industrialists to set up ETPs, which was later extended until August 20 last.
But only the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) came up and submitted an action plan within the given timeframe.
The BGMEA noted that it has a total of 121 factories that require installation of the ETPs of which 42 have already installed the waste-treatment plants and 65 are on the process of installing the plants.
When contacted the president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) Fazlul Hoque alleged that the environment ministry lodged cases against those who were on the process of installing such plants.
"It is unfortunate that the government is taking action against those who are willing to set up such plants," the BKMEA president said.
But it remains silent against the tannery industry owners who are the main polluter of the river waters, he lamented.
Some 25 BKMEA members are now facing the government cases in this regard, he said.
"Setting up of ETPs is costly and investment ranges between Tk 10 million to Tk 100 million depending on the sizes of the factories," he said.
Despite repeated attempts no commercial banks are showing apathy to finance the ETP installations, he claimed.
First vice president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Abul Kashem Ahmed underscored the necessity to ensure environment and protect the river waters.
But as the requirement for installation of the ETPs were not set when the industries were setting up factories, the government should arrange soft loan for the factory owners to set up such plants, leader of the country's apex trade body opined.
"Government inactions against the polluters for over the years led to high levels of toxicity in the rivers waters surrounding the capital," general secretary of the Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) MA Matin alleged.
Businessmen have protested the government's latest crackdown on the factory owners that failed to install waste-treatment plants terming it 'unwanted' and tantamounting to harassment, officials said.
They sought an integrated approach under private-public partnership to resolve the disputes and then set up such facilities so as to ensure that industrial wastes are disposed properly without affecting the environment and public health.
Environment ministry officials said it recently initiated the crackdown and as many as 38 cases already been lodged against the factory owners until Wednesday for their failure to set up effluent treatment plants (ETPs).
They said installation of ETP is mandatory for the factories that releases liquid wastes, as per the environment protection act 1995.
"We have long been pursuing the industrialists to set up such plants, which will not only safeguard environment but will also ensure compliances of their factories as per global standard," said a senior environment ministry official.
Many of the industrialists have not been paying heed to the ministry's call despite repeated motivational and awareness building attempts over the last several years, he alleged.
"We were forced to file law suits against the factory owners," he added.
Industries and the state-run agencies are disposing wastes into rivers around the capital for years resulting in hazardous condition of the river water.
Since taking office in January 2007 the incumbent government took the issue seriously and asked the environment ministry to ensure installation of ETPs at industry sites.
"We have arranged meetings as many as 20 times with the stakeholders and businessmen to ensure installation of the ETPs voluntarily," environment ministry official said.
The ministry then set October 30, 2007 as the deadline for the industrialists to set up the ETPs.
Failing to meet the deadline the factory owners raised a number of issues including necessary investments and land to set up the ETPs and sought extension of the timeframe, the environment ministry official said
The ministry later set June 30, 2008 as the deadline for submitting plans by the industrialists to set up ETPs, which was later extended until August 20 last.
But only the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) came up and submitted an action plan within the given timeframe.
The BGMEA noted that it has a total of 121 factories that require installation of the ETPs of which 42 have already installed the waste-treatment plants and 65 are on the process of installing the plants.
When contacted the president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) Fazlul Hoque alleged that the environment ministry lodged cases against those who were on the process of installing such plants.
"It is unfortunate that the government is taking action against those who are willing to set up such plants," the BKMEA president said.
But it remains silent against the tannery industry owners who are the main polluter of the river waters, he lamented.
Some 25 BKMEA members are now facing the government cases in this regard, he said.
"Setting up of ETPs is costly and investment ranges between Tk 10 million to Tk 100 million depending on the sizes of the factories," he said.
Despite repeated attempts no commercial banks are showing apathy to finance the ETP installations, he claimed.
First vice president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Abul Kashem Ahmed underscored the necessity to ensure environment and protect the river waters.
But as the requirement for installation of the ETPs were not set when the industries were setting up factories, the government should arrange soft loan for the factory owners to set up such plants, leader of the country's apex trade body opined.
"Government inactions against the polluters for over the years led to high levels of toxicity in the rivers waters surrounding the capital," general secretary of the Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) MA Matin alleged.