HC declares illegal leases issued to 19 Moulvibazar sand quarries

The High Court today declared illegal the leases issued to 19 silica sand quarries out of total 51 identified silica sand quarries at six upazilas in Moulavibazar, as they have no environmental clearance certificate (ECC) and environmental impact assessment certificate (EIAC) and have reportedly damaged the environment of the area.

The court also directed the authorities concerned of the government not to provide any lease to the silica sand quarries (silica sand extraction zones) which have no ECC and EIAC.

The bench of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice AKM Zahirul Hoque came up with the verdict following a writ petition moved by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela) challenging the legality of the leases issued to the silica sand quarries.

Advocate Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Advocate Sayeed Ahmed Kabir appeared for the petitioner.

A Bela press release said today that a gazette notification was issued on June 18, 2013 declaring 51 hill streams as silica sand quarry area.

Among them 19 silica sand quarries were given lease to extract sand by non-notarised way, although they had no ECC and EIAC.

Bela said in the press release that the environment and ecology of Moulavibazar Sadar, Rajnagar, Kulaura, Srimangal, Kamalganj and Barolekha upazilas were damaged due to illegal sand extraction at the quarries.

Earlier, following the same writ petition, the HC had ordered the authorities to seize all the machines and instruments which were used for sand extraction from the zones, it added.