PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION (PIL)

Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA)

1. Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forest
2. Secretary, Ministry of Land
3. Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources
4. Secretary, Road Transport and Highway Division
5. Director General, Department of Environment
6. Chief Conservator of Forest, Department of Forest
7. Chief Engineer, Roads and Highway Department
8. Deputy Commissioner, Sylhet
9. Director, Department of Environment, Sylhet Divison
10. Divisional Forest Officer, Sylhet
11. Additional Chief Engineer, Sylhet
12. Upazilla Nirbahi Officer, Sylhet Sadar
13. Upazilla Nirbahi Officer, Companygonj Upazilla
14. Upazilla Nirbahi Officer, Jaintapur Upazilla
15. Upazilla Nirbahi Officer, Goanighat Upazilla
16. Upazilla Nirbahi Officer, Kanaighat Upazilla
17. Assistant Commissioner (Land), Sylhet Sadar
18. Assistant Commissioner (Land Companygonj Upazilla
19. Assistant Commissioner (Land), JaintapurUpazilla
20. Assistant Commissioner (Land), Goanighat Upazilla
21. Assistant Commissioner (Land), Kanaighat Upazilla

At Sylhet Sadar, Companigonj, Jaintapur, Goainghat and KanaighatUpazilla, a number of stone crushing units have been set up on public roads, forests and near playgrounds, residential areas, schools, hospital and other institutions without authorisation and licenses. These activities caused unbearable noise, dust and water pollution, and the Upazills were losing its natural beauty.

The High Court issued a Rule Nisi to show cause as to why the illegal, unregulated and unauthorised setting-up and operation of stone crushing units should not be declared to have been set up and operated without lawful authority, why the respondents should not be directed to declare Stone Crushing Zone, and to arrange for relocation all authorised stone crushing units to specified zone.