In an effort to combat air and environmental pollution, the Department of Environment (DoE) conducted separate drives and fined Tk 21.97 lakh in different parts of the country including Dhaka.

The drives were conducted in Jhalakathi, Dhaka, Narayanganj and Tangail districts on Monday.

Two mobile courts conducted the drives in Jhalkathi, Dhaka, and Tangail against illegal brick kilns on Monday. Five cases were filed and Tk 13 lakh was fined during the drives. Operations of three brick kilns were shut down.

Besides, a mobile court in Munshiganj imposed a fine of Tk 4 lakh on a steel mill to control industrial pollution. Several other factories were warned during the drives.

In operations against illegal lead/battery smelting, three mobile courts in Narayanganj and Dhaka imposed a fine of Tk 3.8 lakh on seven establishments.

Four factories were shut down, and four trucks of equipment were confiscated.

To curb emissions of black smoke, a mobile court in Dhaka's Bijoynagar fined the drivers of four vehicles Tk 5,000.

For violations of air pollution control regulations, a mobile court in Jigatola fined one entity Tk 5,000 and issued warnings to three others.

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In actions against the use of banned polythene, two mobile courts in Dhaka's Shyamoli and Gopalganj fined one establishment Tk 5,000 and confiscated 45 kilograms of polythene.

It also issued warnings against ten establishments.

Under the special initiative of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, the Department of Environment (DoE) has intensified mobile court operations across various districts to take strict action against air-polluting entities and illegal activities.