The High Court yesterday stayed for 10 days the effectiveness of the environmental certificate issued by the Department of Environment (DoE) for implementation of a water supply project of Khulna City Corporation (KCC).

In response to a writ petition, the court also issued a rule upon the government to explain in 10 days why the DoE's decision to issue the certificate for Phultala Water Supply Project of KCC should not be declared illegal.

The HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik and Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim also fixed February 19 for hearing the rule.