The Department of Environment or DoE in Bangladesh recently carried out a drive against illegal garment washing plants under the supervision of Rubina Ferdousi, the DoE Director (Environment) of the monitoring and enforcement wing.
Following this, the DoE has suspended operations of at least 22 illegal liquid waste treatment plants and apparel washing units in the Keraniganj area, on the outskirts of capital Dhaka, claimed media reports.
These units, despite repeated warnings from the DoE, have allegedly failed to obtain environmental clearances and also did initiate any step to stop polluting the environment.
As per DoE, a number of washing plants without ETP were illegally operating in the area, which discharge the unrefined liquid waste into Buriganga and Turag through the drains and sewerage lines thereby polluting the water bodies.
It may be mentioned here that the High Court has declared Buriganga and Turag as living entities and directed all concerned authorities to initiate steps to free the river of any encroachment and all kinds of pollution.