Trees dying in Patuaklhali sea beach

A Kewra forest at Behular Char in Kalapara upazila, Patuakhali is being dwindled due to heap of sand. . PHOTO: STAR

Forest officials and local people this correspondent talked to said thousand of trees like Screwpine, Gewa and Garan in vast areas of Char Gangamati, Kuakata, Khajura, Lambur Char and Kawer Char under Kalapara upazila in the district have already died.

It was noticed 4-5 years back when a small number of threes withered away gradually. But different varieties of trees are dying in large scale now, they said.

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They suspect that lack of sweet water could be one of the reasons. Roots of the trees do not penetrate deep into the soil and those are covered by sand carried by tidal wave. So the roots can not suck sweet water.

But some others differed with the view. They said the certain varieties of trees were planted considering that they would be able to survive without sweet water. There could be other reasons, they think.

This correspond saw hundreds of left over roots after local people cut away the dead trees at Kuakata sea beach.

Abdul Mannan, 40, told this correspondent at Char Gangamati sea beach that the withering process start within 4-5 months after their roots are covered by 2 to 3 feet sand carried by tidal wave.

Officials at Patuakali forest division said "excessive deposit of sand" is harmful for mangrove forest.

They can be saved if the sand layer can be removed form forests. But it is costly, they said.