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No earth-filling and encroachment of water bodies in Purbachal

HC directs authorities

Staff Correspondent
The High Court yesterday directed authorities concerned to maintain status quo on any kind of earth filling and encroachment of water reservoirs, water bodies and low lands in Purbachal township (spread over Rupganj in Narayanganj and Kaliganj in Gazipur).
In response to a writ petition, the court asked the district administrations concerned to submit reports after complying with the directives before it in two months.
Housing companies concerned cannot encroach on and fill the water bodies, water reservoirs and low lands in Purbachal following the HC directive, petitioner’s counsel Advocate Manzill Murshid told The Daily Star.
The HC also issued a rule asking the respondents to explain in four weeks why their inaction and failure to take effective steps to protect natural water reservoirs, water bodies, low land within the areas should not be declared illegal.
In the rule the court asked the respondents to show causes why they should not be directed to stop earth-filling and encroachment in the areas and to protect
the marshlands, lowlands, water bodies and water reservoirs of the areas.
The court in the rule also asked them to explain why setting up signboards by housing companies in the areas should not be declared illegal.
Secretaries to the ministries of Forests and Environment, Housing and Public Works, and Land, chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), director general of Department of Environment and its deputy director (enforcement), deputy commissioners and superintendents of police of Narayanganj and Gazipur, upazila nirbahi officers of Rupganj and Kaliganj and officers-in-charge of Rupganj and Kaliganj police stations have been made respondents to the rule.
The HC bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal delivered the order and rule after hearing a writ petition filed as a public interest litigation by rights organisation Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), challenging the inaction and failure of the respondents to take effective steps to protect natural water reservoirs, water bodies and low land in the areas.
The petitioner also sought HC directives on the respondents to protect water bodies and low land in Purbachal, Rupganj and Kaliganj areas.
During the hearing, Advocate Manzill Murshid told the court that some housing companies -namely Platinum Purbachal City, City Cloud 9, Canada City, Zamindar City, Rimjhim, Dreamland, Homeland Purbachal City, Hometown Purbachal City, Pretty Real Estate, Mascot Green City, Nandan City, Bestway City, Malum City, Marine City and Sopan City - are filling earth and encroaching on water bodies and low lands in the aforementioned areas, in violation of relevant laws. But the respondents are not taking effective measures to protect those areas, he argued.