Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan said that district administrations, city corporations, and the Department of Environment will strengthen joint mobile courts to combat hill cutting, air pollution, and the use of banned polythene.
She made these remarks at a discussion on "Preventing the Use of Banned Polythene in Chattogram and Reducing Plastic Pollution" held at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Sunday as the chief guest.
The advisor emphasized installing warning signboards on hills, increasing patrols, and issuing letters to hill owners to prevent hill cutting. She warned that strict legal actions would be taken against those violating the law.
Rizwana further added that a list of polythene manufacturers would be prepared to initiate legal actions against them.
She highlighted the necessity of mandatory barcodes on packaging and urged for mobile court operations in markets and supermarkets.
The adviser also stressed the importance of intercepting trucks carrying polythene.
Dr Shahadat Hossain, mayor of Chattogram City Corporation, Dr Farhina Ahmed, secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Md Nazrul Islam, secretary of the Local Government Division, the Chairman of Chattogram Development Authority, among others, addressed the discussion.
Representatives from government and non-government organizations, environmental groups, business leaders, and media professionals of Chattogram were attended virtually in the meeting.
They called for stricter enforcement of laws and increased awareness to stop the use of banned polythene.
bd-pratidin/GR
