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DHAKA: The High Court has directed the authorities to form seven-member monitoring committees to prevent the illegal occupation and filling of recorded ponds in five district cities: Bogura, Sylhet, Mymensingh, Barishal and Chattogram.
The court also ordered the authorities to submit comprehensive lists of ponds recorded in the CS and RS surveys in the five cities within three months.
A High Court bench comprising Justice Shikder Mahmudur Razi and Justice Fatema Anwar issued the directives on Monday.
The court issued a rule asking why the authorities’ inaction in protecting the recorded ponds in the five cities should not be declared illegal and why effective directions should not be issued to ensure their preservation.
It also sought to know why legal action should not be ordered under Section 8 of the Environment Conservation Act, 1995, against those who changed the classification or characteristics of ponds or filled them in violation of Section 6 of the Water Bodies Conservation Act, 2000.
The respondents have been asked to reply to the rule within four weeks.
As part of its interim order, the court directed the deputy commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) of the five districts to form seven-member monitoring committees within 15 days.
The committees will comprise representatives of the district administration, police and Department of Environment. They will take necessary measures to prevent any further illegal occupation or filling of recorded ponds.
The committees must submit progress reports to the court within four weeks, detailing the steps taken to implement the order.
The court also directed the deputy commissioners concerned to submit, in the form of affidavits, comprehensive lists showing the total number of ponds recorded in the CS and RS surveys in their respective cities within three months.
Senior lawyer and president of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) Manzil Morshed argued the writ petition, assisted by lawyer Nasrin Sultana.
Deputy Attorney General Nur Mohammad Azam and Assistant Attorney General SM Imam ul Mushfiqure represented the state.
The order brings the identification and protection of recorded ponds in the five cities, along with measures to prevent illegal occupation and filling, under the High Court’s supervision.