Jhenidah-Darshana highway
Sand extraction may cause erosion
Our Correspondent, Jhenidah
Continuous sand extraction with dredger machines in Kotchandpur has become a serious threat to the Jhenidah-Darshana highway.
Though this is happening right under the nose of the local authorities of Kotchandpur and Moheshpur, they are yet to take any legal step against these people.
Locals allege that the local authorities are in cahoots with the sand extractors.
Some members of SBK union parishad under Moheshpur upazila say some unscrupulous people have been extracting sand from the Jamtala area and Baromasia Bridge with dredging machines. These people are allegedly filling 50 trucks with sand every day.
They dishonest sand extractors have been selling the sand at different places of Kotchandpur and Moheshpur of Jhenidah and Darshana, Jibannagar, Damurhuda and the district headquarters of Chuadanga for hefty sums. They have been ignoring the existing soil export rules.
Residents of Bazrapur village in Kotchandpur say illegal sand- lifting in the area may erode the highways and snap the road communications. But the authorities are not taking any action against these unscrupulous people, they allege.
Rozina Akter, Moheshpur assistant commissioner (AC) land, said sand was being extracted from Kotchandpur and stacked in Moheshpur.
She said she already informed the matter to the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Kotchandpur for taking steps against the sand-lifters.
Kotchandpur upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) Nazneen Sultana, however, said she was not aware of the matter. Steps will be taken against the guilty, she added.
