Refrain from filling up Dholairpar pond: HC tells DSCC

The High Court today ordered the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) to refrain from constructing a secondary transfer station (STS) project for waste management by filling up a four-acre pond at the Dholairpar area in the capital for three months.

The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of government and DSCC to explain why the DSCC's action to fill up the pond at the Dholairpar area should not be declared illegal and against public interest.

The rule also asked the authorities to show causes why they should not be directed to bring back the pond to its previous state, and to protect and maintain it.

The bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah gave the order and rule following a writ petition filed by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA).

The organisation in the petition said the pond has been playing an important role to help residents of the area but one-third of it has been filled up for the STS project.

Lawyer Mohammad Ashraf Ali appeared for the petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General Nawroz MR Chowdhury represented the state.