The Department of Environment has ordered of Asian Paper Mills in Chattogram to suspend operations for polluting the Halda River by dumping untreated waste in it.
The department’s Chittagong Office Director Azadur Rahman Mollick gave the order on Sunday (Aug 18) after a hearing.
Asian Paper Mill (Pvt) Ltd, located at Nandirhat area in Hathazari Upazila, has also been charged due to not using their Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) round the clock.
Confirming the matter to Bangla Tribune, the department’s Assistant Director Sangjukta Das Gupta said that the mill was fined and warned previously but they didn’t take any effective steps.
“On Aug 14, an environment department team visited the mill to find that their waste management system was quite weak,” she said.
“They were then asked to take part in a hearing on Aug 18,” she added.
She said that they visited the mill on Aug 14 after receiving complaints that the mill was discharging waste into the river through a bypass.
“During the visit, we collect water samples from various points in the river. The samples were tested and found to be beyond the parameters set by Environment Conservation Rules, 1997,” Gupta said.
The paper mill has been ordered to suspend operations until they take necessary steps recommended by the environment department.