Ecological imbalance
Tuesday, 12 June 2007
Abdus Sobhan
IT is surprising that the Ministry of Environment and Forest issued a circular for relocating different industrial units in the Dhaka-Bhaluka belt in 1999 and the gazette notification in this respect was published after almost seven years in 2006. It is more surprising to know from a report published in the Financial Express that these units set up near to the Bhawal National Park obtained 'No objection certificates' from different authorities of the government including the Department of Environment and the Board of Investment. These units also received trade licenses from competent authorities, value added tax registration certificates from the National Board of Revenue and other documents from sources like Bangladesh Textile Mills Association.
It is evident from the said circular that the government intended to discourage setting up industries in the forest belt to protect the ecological balance. One or two years of pollution or indiscriminate activities are enough to destroy the environment. Industry is always considered having an anti-environment face. Its indiscriminate growth without environment protection arrangement can slowly destroy a human habitant or a living planet. Knowing all these facts the circular in question was issued. But its enforcement was delayed by seven long years for the wanting of a gazette notification. How could the related offices allow setting up these industries in and around the national park all through these years? How could the investors apply for and receive certificates for operating their industries?
So, what should we assume? Apparently, this could happen to offer an opportunity to a group of people in these departments to earn quick, handsome money. Whenever a restriction is there, a scope is there to demand higher amount of money for the illegal certification. Or is it for the less vocal or less active or assertive Ministry of Environment and Forest and its other departments, which withheld the information regarding the circular or did not perform their inspection duties from time to time, that the forest belt has suffered and is now close to extinction?
IT is surprising that the Ministry of Environment and Forest issued a circular for relocating different industrial units in the Dhaka-Bhaluka belt in 1999 and the gazette notification in this respect was published after almost seven years in 2006. It is more surprising to know from a report published in the Financial Express that these units set up near to the Bhawal National Park obtained 'No objection certificates' from different authorities of the government including the Department of Environment and the Board of Investment. These units also received trade licenses from competent authorities, value added tax registration certificates from the National Board of Revenue and other documents from sources like Bangladesh Textile Mills Association.
It is evident from the said circular that the government intended to discourage setting up industries in the forest belt to protect the ecological balance. One or two years of pollution or indiscriminate activities are enough to destroy the environment. Industry is always considered having an anti-environment face. Its indiscriminate growth without environment protection arrangement can slowly destroy a human habitant or a living planet. Knowing all these facts the circular in question was issued. But its enforcement was delayed by seven long years for the wanting of a gazette notification. How could the related offices allow setting up these industries in and around the national park all through these years? How could the investors apply for and receive certificates for operating their industries?
So, what should we assume? Apparently, this could happen to offer an opportunity to a group of people in these departments to earn quick, handsome money. Whenever a restriction is there, a scope is there to demand higher amount of money for the illegal certification. Or is it for the less vocal or less active or assertive Ministry of Environment and Forest and its other departments, which withheld the information regarding the circular or did not perform their inspection duties from time to time, that the forest belt has suffered and is now close to extinction?