2024-04-01 21:18:00
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury has announced to remove old buses from Dhaka city to prevent air pollution. He also said that no compromise can be made in the larger national interest.
He said this in the president’s speech at the discussion meeting organized at the meeting room of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on Sunday (March 31) to control air pollution, black smoke from public transport and not to keep construction materials in open places and to stop burning waste for 12 months.
The Environment Minister said, to prevent air pollution, the buses operating in Dhaka city, which have exceeded their economic life of more than 20 years, should be withdrawn. To this end, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority will send the list of these used buses plying in Dhaka city by April 8. The Transport Owners Association will plan to withdraw buses that are more than 20 years old by April 20. There will be no compromise in the larger national interest.
Saber Chowdhury said that the budget allocation for pollution control in government development activities should be spent on the implementation of pollution control activities. Titus Gas, Electricity Department, Washa, City Corporation will coordinate the development plan related to road excavation.
‘Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation should stop importing diesel with sulphur. The City Corporation shall take necessary measures to ensure that waste is not burnt in the open. Rajuk, City Corporation, Police Department will ensure covering of construction materials during construction. Old vehicles must be scrapped in full compliance with the rules. If RAJUK fails to comply with the relevant conditions of environmental pollution control, the permission of the related construction activities will have to be cancelled’- added the minister.
In the meeting, Secretary of Ministry of Housing and Public Works Nabirul Islam, Additional Secretary (Administration) of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Iqbal Abdullah Haroon, Additional Secretary (Paduni) Tapan Kumar Biswas, Additional Secretary (Environment) Dr. Fahmida Khanam, director general of the Department of Environment. Abdul Hamid, Chairman of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority Noor Mohammad Majumdar, Vice President of Bangladesh Road Transport Association Mahbubur Rahman and President of Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association Ajmal Uddin Ahmad, representatives of various government and private organizations were present.