DoE fines 5 polluting factories

The Department of Environment (DoE) fined five factories and a municipality of Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj and Natore Tk 2.0 million for polluting the environment, said a press release.

Among the factories, two are of dyeing, two re-rolling mills and one ceramic unit while the municipality is in Natore.

A team led by DoE Director (Monitoring and Enforcement) M Alamgir visited dyeing, ceramic and re-rolling mills in Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj and found the authorities to be using faulty Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) and thus polluting the environment.

The DoE fined Fakhruddin Textile Mills of Mauna, Sreepur, Gazipur Tk 1.0 million, X-Ceramics of Boherarchala, Sreepur, Gazipur Tk 0.50 million, Alfa Agro of Kacharipara, Rajendrapur, Gazipur Tk 0.10 million, Kamal Steel and Re-rolling Mills of Shyampur Kadamtoli Industrial Area, Dhaka Tk 0.10 million, Ali Ahmed Re-rolling Mills of Dhonkunda, Godnail, Siddhirganj, Narayanganj Tk 0.10 million and mayor of Gurudaspur Municipality, Natore Tk 0.20 million.

The Gurudaspur municipality mayor was fined for establishing shops on bank of a river without permission.

However, representatives of the factories present at a hearing confessed to the violation of environment laws and pledged to take necessary action to reduce pollution.