Many areas of Lohagara of Chattogram district may face serious disaster as an unscrupulous influential quarter continues cutting the hills there, in gross breach of environmental laws.
The authorities concerned sometimes conduct raids to stop hill cutting and fine the influential people, who are involved in cutting the hills. Cases are also filed against the labours but the main culprits always remain untouched. Showing thumbs to the authorities concerned they are still cutting the hills and selling the soil for construction works, different national dailies ran stories in details in this regard.
Several hilly areas are being levelled by the organised influential quarter under the very nose of the local administration. These influential people and musclemen in association with local armed middlemen also issue threat to the people who protest the hill cutting.
The government must take
necessary steps to stop hill
cutting and deforestation and
bring the grabbers to book
immediately
Landslides caused by heavy rain are common during the monsoon season between June and September in our country. Apart from hill cutting, deforestation, unplanned housing and drainage system, unplanned Jum cultivation and effects of climate change were identified as the major factors for natural and man-made disasters like landslide in the CHT areas and other hill districts of the country. Such destruction of hills and trees over the years has made the hills risky, contributing to the disasters.
Different environmental issues, including hill cutting, leasing and grabbing of forest and hilly land were discussed widely in order to prevent such manmade disasters. But hill cutting is still going on unabated in the name of housing as the demand for plots and flats in the hill area is very high.
Many residential and commercial buildings, resorts and hotels have been developed, cutting down hills over the last two decades, with the authorities concerned turning a blind eye to this mindless act. Country’s most hills are in very sorry state because of unabated hill cutting, tree felling and unplanned construction of structures.
Apart from greater Sylhet and CHT, influential people have also been destroying the small and medium sized hills in Tangail district and other districts. Such unabated hill cutting is posing a serious threat to the environment in the hilly region.
These hills will be facing serious consequences in the future if effective steps are not taken. Therefore, the government must take necessary steps to stop hill cutting and deforestation and bring the grabbers to book immediately.