The High Court, on Sunday, directed Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha, the department of environment and deputy commissioner of Dhaka to stop all activities of Silicon City, an unauthorised private housing project at Savar, on the outskirt of Dhaka.
The court mandated the cessation of earth-filling, plot sales, and registration associated with the unauthorized housing project.
The bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Khizir Hayat Lizu issued the directive, following a writ petition, filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association.
The association informed the High Court that Silicon City, operating under the name 鈥楽ilicon and Land Development鈥�, had been established through the illegal filling of land in the main flood zone, reservoir, and agricultural zone as identified in the detailed area plan for Borobordeshi Mouja in Savar.
The High Court instructed the authorities to evaluate the damage, caused by the housing company鈥檚 unlawful and unapproved earth-filling activities and demanded a report within three months.
The court also issued a rule, asking the authorities to explain within four weeks why their failure to protect reservoirs, agricultural lands, and sections of the river from Silicon City鈥檚 earth-filling would not be declared illegal.
The court also sought explanations as to why the authorities would not be directed to protect and restore the agricultural lands from grabbers, as well as why they would not be asked to realise compensation from the housing project owner for damaging agricultural lands.
Secretaries of housing and public works ministry and environment, forests and climate change ministry, chairman of the national river conservation commission, the superintendent of police in Dhaka, the upazila nirbahi officer of Savar, and the managing director of Silion City were asked to respond to the rule.
Lawyers Mohammad Ashraf Ali and S Hasanul Banna appeared for the association, while deputy attorney general SK Shaifuzzaman represented the state.
