Razing a hill for housing

In a blatant disregard for environmental regulations, a vested quarter is reportedly engaged in cutting a hill in Charamba Union in Chattogram's Lohagara upazila for constructing houses.
The Department of Environment (DoE) has confirmed that the responsible individuals started the activity without obtaining necessary permissions.
According to upazila land office sources, the hill in question is jointly owned by Siddik Ahmed and Syed Ahmed. It covers approximately 10 acres, with at least 0.10 acres already razed.
The owners razed the hill with the help of Kamal Uddin, a local influential person, claimed locals.
Contacted, Kamal Uddin said, "I have only rented excavators and trucks to the hill owners."
During a recent visit to the area, this correspondent observed a portion of the hill being levelled. One of the owners is building a house on this section.
Under the Bangladesh Environment Preservation Act 1995 (amended in 2000), cutting a hill without the approval of the DoE is deemed illegal. First-time violators of this law may face penalties of up to two years' imprisonment, or a fine of Tk 2 lakh, or both. Subsequent offences may lead to punishments of up to ten years' imprisonment, or a fine of Tk 10 lakh, or both.
"I have been working as a day labourer at this construction site since the past week," disclosed a worker, preferring anonymity.
Siddik Ahmed declined to comment on the matter.
Mohammed Shahjahan, assistant commissioner of Lohagara, said, "We recently seized an excavator and two trucks, and fined the vehicle owner as we could not apprehend the hill owner at the site."
Meanwhile, DoE officials have confirmed that no permission was granted for hill cutting in the area.
Ferdous Anwar, deputy director of DoE Chattogram, said, "If any evidence of hill cutting is found during our investigation, we will take legal action against those responsible."
Officials from the upazila administration, who visited the area, have substantiated claims of hill cutting.
The port city has lost around 120 hills over the past four decades. In 1976, the city had 32.37 square km of hills, which reduced to 14.02 square km by 2008, reveals Bangladesh Environment Forum's data.
Mohammad Kamal Hossain, former professor at the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Science, Chittagong University, emphasised the dangers of living near a hill that has been cut.
"The chopped-down hills usually collapse during monsoons as the soil is loose and soft. Such actions also pose a serious threat to the natural habitat of animals in the area," he said.
Comments