No industries in 10km of Sundarbans: HC

The High Court ordered the government to submit a list of the industries and factories set up within 10 kilometres in the Sundarbans area to this court within ten months.

The HC also directed the government not to approve any industries within 10 kilometres in the area.

The HC bench of Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hassan on Thursday passed the order following a writ petition filed by Sheikh Faridul Islam, president of Save the Sundarbans Foundation on April 4.

In the petition, he said that environment and forest ministry issued a gazette notification on August 30 in 1999 declaring the 10-km area surrounding the Sundarbans as ecologically critical area.

But the Department of Environment has reportedly issued site clearance certificate for 150 industries in that area over the years.