Waste-to-energy plant project in Ctg's Char Bakalia scrapped
The Ministry of Land rejected the proposal to build the power plant on the newly formed char
A proposed waste-to-energy plant project in Char Bakalia — a small island by the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram – has been scrapped, said the district administration.
Environmentalists had been demanding the cancellation of the project due to concerns over damage to biodiversity and river pollution.
The Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) had planned to build the power plant on the newly formed char through a non-government organisation and submitted an application to the Ministry of Land for the allocation of 35 acres of land for the project.
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However, the Ministry of Land rejected the application.
Later, the Chattogram District Administration sent a letter to the upazila executive officer (UNO) of Boalkhali Upazila on 3 October to take necessary measures in this regard.
"The decision was taken to protect the environment and in compliance with the court's order to protect the river. The Ministry of Land has informed us through a letter that the project proposal has been rejected," Mohammad Rajib Hossain, senior assistant commissioner (revenue deputy collector) and executive magistrate of the district administration, told The Business Standard today (6 October).
"We have informed the concerned parties about the decision," he added.
According to the letter from the Ministry of Land, constructing the plant on Char Bakalia could potentially contaminate the river water and cause significant harm to the ecological balance, including biodiversity.
Therefore, the proposal to set up a power plant on 35 acres of land has been rejected.
Sheikh Mohammad Tauhidul Islam, chief executive officer of CCC, told TBS, "The district administration has informed us about the matter."
Aliur Rahman, general secretary of the Chattogram River and Canal Protection Movement, said in 2019, the High Court declared rivers as living entities.
According to Article 18(a) of the Constitution, there is a duty to protect the environment, natural resources, biodiversity, wetlands, forests, and wildlife, he said.
"So, setting up a power plant on a char in the middle of the river is illegal. We have been demanding this. Finally, the cancellation of the project will save the Karnaphuli from destruction."
