Shamim Kurigram:

The High Court has issued a ruling to stop the illegal operation of a commercial mill in a residential area in Kurigram and to prevent environmental pollution.

It has been reported that Saifuddin Islam Apollo has been illegally operating Sufia Auto Flower Mill in Velakopa village of Kurigram municipality for a long time, ignoring environmental pollution laws. The authorities of the mills operate the mills with environmental clearances in exchange of a hefty sum to the Department of Environment. To close the mill, the locals filed a written complaint with the Kurigram District Commissioner and the Department of Environment. Even after several news in various newspapers regarding the opening of the mill in the residential area the relevant administration did not take effective steps to close the mill then they approached the High Court.

At one stage of this, on December 18, 23rd Bangladesh Supreme Court High Court Division, Justice KM Kamrul Quader and Justice Khizir Hayat held a dual bench hearing. In the hearing, as per Schedule-1 of Environment Protection Rules, 1997, as there is no provision for setting up of orange-B class industrial establishments in residential areas, why should the environmental clearance granted by the Kurigram Department of Environment to 'Sufia Auto Follower Mill' not be declared illegal? Issued Masum Billah, a learned lawyer of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, handled the case on behalf of the local people.

It should be noted that Mohammad Ali, Noornabi Mia, Zahidul Islam, Alam Mia and Tufan Ali filed a writ petition in the high court on behalf of the residents.

Writ petitioner, a local resident of Velakopa village Zahidul Islam said, 'We approached the High Court without getting any remedy despite the local people's complaint and human chain to prevent environmental pollution and His Majesty's Court issued a ruling in our favor. We thank the justice court for that.

In this regard, Saifuddin Islam, owner of Sufia Auto Flower Mill, called Apollo several times on his mobile phone, but he did not receive the call.

In this regard, Masum Billah, a learned lawyer of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, said, "According to schedule-1 of the Environment Protection Rules-1997, the rule has been issued in favor of the people of Elaba as the commercial establishment is illegal under the Kamala-B category in residential areas. Through this, the trust of the common people towards the High Court and the rule of law have been established in the country.'

Rezaul Karim, assistant director of Kurigram Environment Department, called several times in this regard, but he did not receive the call.