The government on Monday decided to prohibit the establishment of any new industrial ventures or projects within the 10-kilometer ecologically critical area surrounding the Sunderbans.
The decision was taken at the 16th meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Environment and Climate Change Committee held at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change at the Secretariat with the ministry鈥檚 adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will soon issue an official gazette notification in this regard.
At the meeting, previous decisions taken under section 3.4.4 of the 2017 National Environment Committee and the 2021 Executive Committee were revised to strengthen the environmental protection of the Sunderbans.
A neutral team of experts will assess the environmental impact of existing industries within the 10km ecologically critical area.
Following the assessment and subject to court directives, further decisions regarding these establishments would be taken, said the release.
The committee also decided to amend the Climate Change Trust Rules, allowing joint project proposals by government agencies, private organisations, and NGOs.
It also decided that opinions from all ministries will be gathered to develop a future action plan to combat noise pollution.
Proposals will be made to increase the enforcement budget of the Ministry of Environment while proposals will be submitted to introduce and increase risk allowances for Forest Department employees.
It was also decided to ensure at least 30 per cent block usage in all public and private building construction by 2025 while a coordination meeting at the secretary level will be held in May in this matter.
The decisions from the previous meeting and the agenda of the current meeting were presented via PowerPoint by Fahmida Khanom, additional secretary (environment) of the ministry and member secretary of the committee.
