Relocation of chemical substance factories from Aged Dhaka still uncertain
It took the federal government almost nine years to draft a task for relocating chemical factories and warehouses from Out of date Dhaka's Nimtoli where an inferno claimed 124 lives in 2010 2010.
After another fire in Chawkbazar this past year, the authority finally figured out that the Tk 201.80-crore project about a 50-acre property in Keraniganj upazila in Dhaka district was "very inadequate".
So, the project blog was changed and more money were allocated: the BSCIC Chemical substance Industrial Park will today be built on 308 acres found in Sirajdikhan upazila of Munshiganj, while job costs ballooned to Tk 1,615.73 crore.
The changes in the program are set to cause delay in project implementation and government officials cannot give specific time when the relocation of the plants and warehouses would start.
Following the Nimtoli fire, the problem of factory relocation found the fore as a nearby was highly vunerable to fire incidents because of the presence of a huge number of plastic-type material and chemical crops and warehouses.
Then, the federal government considered four jobs to relocate four types of industries -- chemical substance, plastic, printing and light electronics.
Even before Chawkbazar fire that claimed 71 lives, the execution of the projects remained at the preliminary stage due mainly to problems associated with land acquisition and bureaucratic tangles.
The latest disaster might have been avoided had the authority taken prompt action following suggestions of a taskforce formed following the Nimtoli fire, professionals and activists said.
The actual number of chemical warehouses and stores in the old town is tricky to find. However the leaders of Bangladesh Chemical and Perfumery Merchant Association say they have over 1,500 members.
But at least 7,000 to 8,000 shops and shops housed in residential properties in Old Dhaka aren't associated with the association, said its leaders.
These warehouses store many chemical compounds including glycerine, sodium anhydrous, sodium thiosulfate, hydrogen peroxide, methyl ethyl ketone, thinner and isopropyl. If these chemical compounds are exposed to fire, there exists a risky of explosions.
Besides, a sizable number of rubber, plastic and sandal-making factories have been operating in a few areas.
Regarding to Bangladesh Environment Conservation Rules 1997, no professional units using hazardous chemical compounds or goods may operate in and around a residential region, and the factory owners must have environmental clearance certificates before applying the materials.
Ignoring the government ban, unscrupulous investors store inflammable chemical compounds in the area.
CHANGES IN PLAN
In October 2018, the Executive Committee of the National Economical Council (Ecnec) authorized the BSCIC Chemical substance Industrial Park job to be completed within June 2021.
But, when the authority possessed started working on area acquisition, the Chawkbazar fire found in February this past year made the federal government rethink its ideas and bring fresh adjustments, according to Job Director Saiful Islam.
The Keraniganj site primarily selected for the project was densely populated, he said, adding that the Ecnec in April this past year approved the first revision of the project and selected Sirajdikhan as the site. It will nowadays be completed within June 2022.
After getting the revised order of the project in June this past year, they started discussion with the neighborhood administration to acquire land and within half a year they completed the task, Islam said.
"Last month, the deputy commissioner's office of Munshiganj sought Tk 531.26 crore within four months to obtain all of the 308.33 acres of land and we have given them Tk 144 crore so far," he said.
"We will rapidly send another Tk 40 crore," he added.
But a supply at Bangladesh Little and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), which is applying the projects, stated Tk 80 has been allocated because of this project in today's fiscal year plus they have currently got the money.
"So, we would need additional money to complete the area acquisition timely," he explained wishing anonymity. "Territory acquisition could be delayed if we neglect to provide the remaining amount within four weeks."
Islam said if the cash are provided promptly, land acquisition and production can be achieved within six months.
PROJECT FOR PLASTIC Sectors REVISED TOO
The federal government in 2004 had taken a move to relocate plastic professional units from Old Dhaka considering fire risk and environmental hazards for the densely populated area. The Nimtoli fire intensified the approach.
In December 2015, the Ecnec approved BSCIC Plastic Industrial Estate project to be applied in Sirajdikhan upazila among July 2015 and June 2018 involving Tk 133 crore.
But the project authority cannot start the work due to complications related to land acquisition. Territory owners of the job blog in Sirajdikhan vehemently opposed the federal government plan. Even the job director was assaulted by them when he gone there to conduct a study, a BSCIC official explained.
Long delay on land acquisition forced the authority to increase the deadline for one year. But a growth in land price led the authority to revise the price and deadline of the job last week.
As per the revised method, the project cost would be Tk 397.45 crore, which is 198 percent higher than the initial cost and fresh deadline will be June 2021.
However, after an extended round of negotiation involving the deputy commissioner's office in Munshiganj, leaders of the association of plastic sectors and project officials, the owners decided to hand over their land, the BSCIC official stated. A complete of Tk 94.95 crore was spent till August this past year.
Two different projects-Printing Industries Estate and Electric Goods and Light Electronics Industries Estate-witnessed better progress. On the other hand, both the projects didn't be entire within the deadline due mainly to problems linked to land acquisition.
The project involving Tk 213 crore to shift light electronics industrial units in Old Dhaka was supposed to be completed within June 2019 but as per the revised plan, its new deadline is June 2022 and cost is Tk 315.80 crore.
The project, which has been implemented on 50 acres of property in Tongibari upazila of Munshiganj, spent Tk 236 crore till August this past year.
The Ecnec passed the BSCIC Printing Industries Estate project of Tk 138.70 crore in January 2016 and it had been scheduled to be completed within December 2018.
But the project to be implemented next to the Plastic material Industry Estate in Sirajdikhan could not be completed within the prolonged deadline of December 2019. So, BSCIC last month dispatched a proposal to the planning ministry for a brand new revision of expense and period, the BSCIC official said.
