JS body for raising ETP capacity to 20,000 kilolitres at tannery estate

A parliamentary watchdog has recommended taking steps to raise the capacity of Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) to 20,000 kilolitres per day at Savar Tannery Industrial Estate within six months.

The recommendation came on Tuesday at the 30th meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban with its chairman Saber Hossain Chowdhury in the chair.

It also suggested taking measures for formulating a specific guideline on separating chromium from the tannery waste and asked the ministry to implement it.

The meeting also discussed preventing serious pollution at the Savar tannery industries and achieving compliance, punitive measures taken so far by the enforcement unit of the Department of Environment (DoE), initiatives for formulating a roadmap for ensuring use of block brick, steps by the local administration for freeing occupied land of the Forest Department and some other issues.

Besides, the parliamentary body also recommended taking action against those tanneries which have no compliance and clearance certificate, giving six months time to those tanneries  which have no compliance but keen to take that and asked the authorities of tanneries , which already have compliance, to renew their certificates.

Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin and other committee members including deputy minister Habibun Nahar, Nazim Uddin Ahmed, Tanvir Shakil Joy, Rezaul Karim Bablu and Shahin Chakladar were present at the meeting.