unchecked hill cutting
Environment conservation rules not enforced
The powerful thumb their noses at the authorities
MUHAMMAD YEASIN
Although the countrys Environment Conservation Act prohibits destroying of hills and tilla by digging and removing the earth to flatten the surface, musclemen, politically-influential persons and some organisations have been doing this indiscriminately and without official permission. As a result, landslides occur in some areas of the Chittagong region during the rainy season.Legal experts opined that influential persons are doing this with the tacit support of the authorities. National and international laws on the subject are not being implemented. All this is being done in the name of development, they noted. They also said hundreds of houses have been built by levelling hill areas, which is illegal.
Section 6B of the Bangladesh Environment Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2010, prohibits the cutting and/or razing of hills and tilla by a person, or an institution of the government, or a semi-government or personal institution, or an autonomous organisation. The law also does not allow personal acquisition or occupying of such land.
However, one can cut or raze a part of a hill or tilla after getting a clearance certificate from the Department of Environment if the work involves national interest.
Former law minister Shafique Ahmed told this correspondent that the cutting of hills and tilla is a clear violation of law. The authorities should have taken action against people involved, as the law does not permit cutting of hills without a clearance certificate from the Department of Environment, he said.
It is unfortunate that protectors are becoming predators in the area. Cutting of hills have continued, but the authorities did not take action against anyone, he added.
He said a number of people are killed in landslides in the hill areas each year due to lack of proper monitoring. Influential people have built houses in and around the hill areas. The law does not allow this, he added.
Referring to the recent landslides, Shafque Ahmed said there could be more deaths as the rainy season has only started. The authorities should remove settlers from the risky areas. An investigation committee should be formed to identify the culprits violating the laws of the land, he noted. Talking to The Independent, Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua said: There are national and international laws to protect the countrys hills and tilla. But influential persons are cutting hills indiscriminately because the laws are not
being implemented. If the authorities implement the laws, no one will dare cut hills and tilla.
Barua said influential political persons are cutting hills in the name of so-called development work, without it being cleared by the Department of Environment. As no action is taken, the offenders continue with their illegal work, he added.
According to sources, hills are being levelled in Chittagong, particularly in the Bangla Bazar, Salimpur, Biswa Colony, North Khulshi, South Khulshi and Bayezid areas.
Musclemen, politically-influential persons, and even the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC), Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) and the Chittagong Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (CWASA) are involved in cutting hills in certain areas. In most cases, no permission is taken from the Department of Environment. Not to be left behind, ordinary local people too have been doing this, sources said.
True, the DoE has occasionally fined and sued several organisations and individuals. But this has failed to refrain the offenders from cutting hills.
