DHAKA, Jan 31, 2023 (BSS)-Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Shahab Uddin today directed the Department of Environment (DoE) to conduct special drives against the air polluters. 
 
He came up with the directives at an Annual Development Programme (ADP) meeting held in the meeting room of the ministry at Bangladesh Secretariat here.

Shahab Uddin said mobile courts will conduct operations against the agencies polluting air and outdated vehicles from tomorrow by the executive magistrates under the DoE. 
 
To increase the number and scope of mobile courts, he said, requests should be made to the Ministry of Public Administration Affairs for appointing more executive magistrates on an urgent basis and the Public Security Division of the Home Ministry to send the required number of law enforcement personal to this end.

The environment minister said the current situation of air pollution is not desirable under any circumstances in the country. 

“So, the ministry and the department must take ultimate measures to prevent air pollution.

 For this reason, inter-ministerial meetings should be held to coordinate with other relevant ministries aiming to take and implement effective legal decisions,” he said.  

“If necessary, I will participate in the campaign to create awareness against air and noise pollution.

 I have already directed the concerned project directors to take effective measures to stop hydraulic horn and noise pollution,” Shahab Uddin said.

Deputy Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Habibun Nahar, Environment Secretary Dr Farhina Ahmed, Additional Secretary (Administration) Iqbal Abdullah Harun, Additional Secretary (Development) Md Mizaul Hoque Chowdhury, Additional Secretary (Climate Change) Md Moniruzzaman, Additional Secretary (Environment) Sanjay Kumar Bhowmik, Additional Secretary  (Environmental Pollution Control) Md Mizanur Rahman, DoE Director General Dr Abdul Hamid and Chief Conservator of Forests Md Amir Hosain Chowdhury, among others, were present at the meeting.