Industry owners face jail term for river pollution

FE Report
The government will amend the existing mobile court law to make the provision of jail terms for industry owners responsible for river pollution.
The existing law has only the provision of imposing monetary fine on the owners, if found guilty of polluting and encroaching on rivers.
"The existing law has the provision to realise fines from industry owners for violating the law. We think this is not enough," shipping minister Shajahan Khan said Sunday.
"We requested the ministry of law to bring about amendment to it by incorporating jail terms along with the fines for protecting the rivers," he told reporters after 28th meeting of the task force on maintaining river navigability at his ministry.  
He said that a committee has been formed headed by the chairman of Bangladesh River Commission with the responsibility to examine the 'suitable' location for providing lands to elite force RAB and police adjacent to the river Buriganga.
He said his ministry will carry out survey of the river Buriganga before allocating lands to law enforcement agencies, making sure that it does not harm the river.
The shipping minister said the government will also carry out survey on the rivers of Turag and Balu, and will put new pillars along with the existing old ones for demarcation of the rivers.
He said that the government will take punitive actions against the persons who are responsible for wiping out pillars for their personal interests.
Replying to a question Mr Khan said the government will start tree plantation on the reclaimed river lands.
He said there will be a joint meeting of industries, commerce, shipping, environment and forest and other ministries and agencies to speed up the efforts to shift Hazaribagh tannery in the capital to Savar on the outskirts of Dhaka.    
    talhabinhabib@yahoo.com