5,000 people risk lives in foothills
Houses have been built on the slope of a hill in Nenchi Bazar area in Khagrachhari, despite the threat of hill slide. Photo: Zobaer Hossain Sikder
At least 5,000 people of 765 families endure sleepless night in the foothills in Khagrachhari in fear of landslide anytime, claiming lives due to downpour. At least 150 families are vulnerable to landslides at several places in Khagrachhari town while 120 families in Matiranga upazila, 80 in Dighinala, 75 in Panchhari, 70 in Laxmichhari, 90 in Ramghar, 100 in Mahalchhari and 80 families in Manikchhari upazila, District administration and local sources said. Neither the district administration nor Khagrachhari hill district council (KHDC) has taken any initiative to rehabilitate the vulnerable families except for a few so-called surveys. Khagrachhari District Administration, KHDC, Public Works Department (PWD) and police jointly identified about 150 families living in the vulnerable foothills only in the district town while several environmental organisations identified the other spots as vulnerable, sources said. District Awami League (AL) adviser Mohammad Nurunnabi Chowdhury said many people are living on the slopes and bottom of hills to fall an easy prey to landslides in the town. Measures should be taken to rehabilitate them immediately to safer places. The KHDC, district administration and police in their report recommended rehabilitation of 150 families to the safer places. But, nothing fruitful could be done till date as the report remained shelved due to red tapism, he alleged. Mohammad Harun, member of a vulnerable family in Kadomtali area in the town, said no one is here to think about their future or to take project to rehabilitate them to a safer place. Abdul Mannan, a local journalist at Manikchhari Upazila, said many people are under threat of hill slide but no government initiative has been taken so far in this regard. The people are mainly responsible for the situation as they build houses on the slop cutting hills, he added. Former Matiranga upazila chairman Nasir Ahmed Chowdhury said many people cut hill without any approval putting the residents at risk. Many cases have been filed against hill cutting but police keep silent having hefty bribes, he added. Mohammad Kawsar Hossain, assistant commissioner (land) of Sadar upazila, said the list has been prepared after landslides occurred at several places in the district and the authorities will take proper action to resettle vulnerable people to safer places. Public Works Department Engineer Pradeep Kumar, also a member of survey committee, said they have prepared a list of vulnerable families and submitted it to the authorities concerned without any immediate response. The problem arises during the rainy season and after rainy season everybody forgets about it, he said. Fazle Elahi, executive director of local environment organisation Global Village, Rangamati, said they have surveyed landslides risk families and its report would be published soon with recommendation. Additional Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Khalilur Rahman said according to the survey about 1,000 people could be rehabilitated if authorities take proper steps. KHDC member Animesh Dewan Nandith, however, said the administration is eager to re-settle the vulnerable families living on the hill slopes to suitable places. KHDC Chairman Ruhity Karbary refuted the allegation of using bazar fund to help the families build houses on the government lands, saying action will be taken if the allegation is found correct.
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