The Department of Environment (DoE) has suspended environmental clearance for SN Corporation (Unit-2) and the MT Swarajya scrap ship breaking yard at Sitakunda, Chattogram following Saturday’s explosion that left one laborer dead and 11 others injured.
Until further notice, all ship-breaking activities of the Swarajya scrap ship will remain suspended, the DoE said in a press release on Sunday (September 8).
The suspension came at the directive of Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Syeda Rizwana Hasan following an explosion, said a ministry statement issued on Sunday.
A show cause notice has also been issued, requiring an explanation within three working days as to why their operations should not be permanently shut, it said.
DoE said that in the primary investigations, it was found that several conditions of the environmental clearance for the
ship-breaking yard were violated and the conditions of the
scrap ship's clearance were also breached.
On Saturday (September 7), an explosion occurred during the cutting of MT Swarajya scrap ship at the ship breaking yard of SN Corporation (Unit-2) in Sitakunda of Chattogram.
Twelve 12 people were injured during the incident. Condition of 10 of the injured have been stated to be critical as their windpipes were burnt. Later, seven of the 10 critically injured burnt patients were sent to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute in Dhaka for better treatment.
Among them, one succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at the institute early Sunday.
