The Department of Environment (DoE) has fined seven organisations a total of Tk 1.09 crore for illegally occupying the seashore of St Martin's Island.
With the help of police, coast guard and Navy personnel, a DoE team from Chittagong led by its Director Zafar Alam conducted a drive at St Martin's Island on July 14 and 15.
The team found out that the offenders were building high-rises on the seashore. They were filling up the seashore with sand and installing pillars.
During the drive, Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, owner of Chowdhury Labiba Bilash, was fined Tk 19.16 lakh, Molla Bashir Ahmed Panna, owner of Panama Resort, Tk 5.22 lakh, Syeed Alam, owner of an under-construction hotel, Tk 20.90 lakh, and Rezaul Karim, owner of an under-construction hotel, Tk 1 lakh.
Besides, Chowdhury Builders Private Limited was fined Tk 19.16 lakh, Moulavi Abdur Rahman, owner of an under-construction hotel, Tk 17.42 lakh, and Shamsul Huda, managing director of Keari Tours and Services Limited, was fined Tk 26.23 lakh.
The team also confiscated various construction materials from the sites.
The DoE team asked the offenders to remove the structures by July 19. They will face prosecution under Environment Protection Act, 1995 otherwise, said DoE sources.
Source : The Daily Star
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