<i>Fumes of charcoal factory pose threat to kids of two schools</i>
An illegal charcoal factory just in front of Nayatola Government Primary School in Saidpur municipality poses health hazard for children but the owner of the factory set up at a rented room has continued the callous act ignoring repeated notices from the school authorities. Photo: STAR
An unauthorised charcoal factory, operating for years within ten metres of two schools at Nayatola of Saidpur municipality, poses health hazard for students and teachers, in addition to hampering academic atmosphere. Abdul Aziz Liton, a local influential person, set up the factory at an abandoned tin-shed building belonging to Saidpur Muslim High School after renting it for two years from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2008 for Tk 800 a month. As the rent contract did not mention anything about setting up of a charcoal factory there, the room is meant for normal use. But shortly after renting the room, Liton illegally cut the tin roof to set up a hollow cylinder for exit of poisonous black smoke. Then setting heavy electric machines, he began to produce charcoal using rice bran and burnt engine oil. Much of the floor was broken for the purpose. Liton, backed by some local leaders, ignored strong objection from the high school authorities in this regard, said school sources. Visiting the site on Saturday, this correspondent saw that 300 students read in Nayatola Government Primary School while there are 350 students in adjacent Saidpur Muslim High School, situated beside the road that connects Cinema Road with Jasim Bazar in Saidpur municipality. The factory, making roaring sound and emitting black smoke, is a nuisance for students and teachers of both the schools, located only around ten metres away. Observing the negative impact of the charcoal factory on environment, locals requested the factory owner a number of times to shift it but to no effect, said Bashiar Rahman, a local. “The charcoal factory is disturbing classroom lessons and posing health hazards to the students. We are worried as charcoal purchasers daily come to the factory with big trucks, posing life risk to kids playing in front of the school,” said Rezaul Karim, headmaster of Nayatola Government Primary School. The rent agreement was for two years till December 2008, that too for normal use of the abandoned room of Saidpur Muslim High School. But the renter has continued illegal operation of the charcoal factory there, ignoring several notices to vacate the room, said Belal Hossain, headmaster of the school. It is totally unlawful to set up mills and factories near educational institutions, said District Education Officer Roksana Begum. Asked about illegal operation of the charcoal factory just beside the two schools, Abdul Aziz Liton said, "Now I have stopped running the factory during school hours."
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