The High Court (HC) has directed Department of Environment (DoE) to shut 27 dying factories and private hospitals, which have no environmental clearance certificates, near Shyampur and Postogola on the bank of Buriganga river in 15 days.

The court also issued a rule asking Managing Director of Dhaka’s Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) to explain in 15 days why legal action should not be taken against him for making false statement about sewerage line connecting the Wasa line.

The HC bench of Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore and Justice Mohammad Ullah came up with the order and the rule during hearing on a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh filed in 2011.

Petitioners lawyer advocate Manzill Murshid told The Daily Star the HC earlier sought reports from the DoE, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and Wasa MD about the structures without having valid environment clearance certificates, sewerage lines and Wasa lines.

Following the HC’s earlier order, the DoE submitted a report recently to the HC saying that there are 27 dying factories and private hospitals which have no environmental clearance certificates near Shyampur and Postogola areas on the river bank.

Wasa MD also submitted a report recently saying that there are no sewerage lines connecting the Buriganga river. But BIWTA in a report said there are several sewerage lines that connect the river, which cause pollution in the city.

After going through the report, the HC today passed the order and fixed December 2 for passing further order on the issue, said advocate Ripon Baroi, who appeared for the writ petitioner.