Staff Reporter:

The much-discussed Riya Auto Rice Mill in Chandaikona of Raiganj Upazila in Sirajganj district has failed to meet the conditions imposed by the Department of Environment’s (DOE) enforcement wing on September 11 within the stipulated time, even after passing of one month and 22 days of the order.

Not only that, the mill owners did not pay the fine money of Tk 1.5 taking the advantage of an appeal submitted to the Secretary of Environment Ministry seeking exemption of the punishment.

Though, three out of six conditions have been partially fulfilled, the mill authorities have been operating the Mill uninterruptedly without fulfilling the remaining conditions showing thumb to the directives of Doe’s authorities concerned, said Tuhin Alam, Assistant Director (AD) of the Doe Sirajganj district office.

Tuhin Alam said, Riya Auto Rice Mill was fined at Tk 1.5 lakh on September 11 last for violating conditions and asked to operate the mill after fulfilling six vital conditions within a month of time.

According to the order signed by Syed Farhad Hossain, Director (Monitoring and Enforcement) of the Doe on September 11, the mill must follow the conditions 100%, otherwise the mill will face legal action including lawsuits and closure of operations.

The conditions were:

a) The hot or boiled water/waste water generated by the mill should be stored and cooled in its own storage instead of being discharged into the open land.

b) A shed should be constructed for storing ash.

c) Waste water should be reused after purification.*

d) A dust collector should be installed to store the chaff and dust generated by the auto rice mill.

e) The work of the ETP under construction should be completed and commissioned.*

f) No problem should be created in the agricultural land and teaching of the related school located nearby the rice mill.*

During an investigation, it was found that, three conditions including a, b and d have been met partially, while rest others including c, e and f (star marked) have not been fulfilled by the mill authorities.

It is to be mentioned that, the Riya Auto Rice Mill by managing some officials of the local administrations have been carrying operation for long violating relevant conditions that creates anger among the local residents. Locals staged several demonstrations including forming human chain demanding cancellation of the mill’s all licenses and clearance certificates for the sake of local residents, farm lands and students’ health.

Earlier, Doe imposed fine at Tk 50,000 to the mill on January 15, 2024, and Tk 1 lakh on May, 2025 for violating environmental conditions.

Locals said, the influential rice mill owners operating the mill without purifying and cooling its boiled waste water due to lack of refinery. But, it was one of the important conditions of the order issued on September 11 after a hearing of the both parties. Besides, incomplete ETP has caused of another hazard to the local residents and environment.

Students, teachers and employees of the neighboring primary school and local residents have been facing manifold health problems due to dust, ash and husks, which are coming out from the mill due to lack of necessary boundary walls and protective measures. Most of them are being affected with various diseases including cough, fever, asthma and skin infection in the beginning of this winter season. Crops of farming lands located surrounding the mill are being damaged due to disposal of the mill’s waste and boiled water by several small holes beneath of the pond or reservoir’s banks, locals said.

Seeking anonymity, some people of the Chandaikona village said, mill authorities are operating the mill without fulfilling the environmental conditions imposed by the Doe high-ups on excuse of under trial case and appeal applications. Instead of fulfilling the conditions, the mill owners are busy in campaign by hiring some media workers, they said.

Tuhin Alam, AD of Doe, Sirajganj said, “I have sent a report to the concerned higher officials in this regard after a spot visit. I hope, the top officials will take right decision over the mill, which has been breaching and violating environmental conditions since the beginning showing thumb to the Doe.”

“Though, locals urged me to cut off the power connection of the mill, I did not do it without consent of the higher officials,” he added.

While contacted, Prince Babu, one of the owners of the mill aggressively said, “Why you ask about the violation of environmental conditions. You are not sole journalist in the country. We have license, but many mills in the area don’t have license. Meanwhile, many media including TV channels have been published report in favour of us. What will happen, if you public any report disclosing our failures and negligence. We are not worried about it as we have submitted appeal to the concerned official (secretary) of the Environment Ministry seeking exemption of fine.”

It is worth noting that, ‘The Daily Sky’ had previously published several news reports about the mill’s environmental violations, which were widely praised in the right-wing community. During the investigation, the concerned officials of the Doe also found evidence of the veracity of the news.