DCs asked to shut hazardous brickfields

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DHAKA, July 27, 2017 (BSS) – Environment and Forests Minister Anwar Hossain Manju yesterday urged the deputy commissioners for taking steps to shut down the brickfields which are hazardous to environment and public health in their respective districts.

“The existing law gives authority to the DC to suspend license or, if required, shut down hazardous brickfields. I ask you all to exercise your power in this regard,” he said while addressing the ongoing DC conference at secretariat here.

The minister urged the DCs to play a firm role in checking hill cutting activities in their areas to keep the ecological balance.

“We have to stop tragic incidents of landslides by creating awareness about building illegal establishments. Increase your vigilance with the help of law enforcement agencies in this regard,” he told the DCs.

Manju instructed them to increase their vigilance to check illegal use of polythene and extracting stones from river bed.

He directed the DCs to play their role in achieving the government’s target of increasing forest area to 20 percent from existing 17.26 percent of the land area.