Editorial
The step in St.Martin's welcome
Protect tourist sites, hills and shores
It is heartening to learn that the Department of Environment (DoE) has penalised number of organizations for illegally occupying the shores of St.Martin's Island. The organizations were involved in construction of high-rise structures affecting the environment.
St.Martin's, a coral island, is indeed an attractive tourist site that deserves to be protected from the claws of poachers. Not only this islet, but we ought to guard all tourist spots and natural forests and shores across the country to save them from grabbers.
Occupation of banks of water bodies and encroachment on historical and tourist locations have become rather common-place. If authorities stop such activities in one place, there are reports of similar acts from another area. The illegal acts go on until these would be spotted by DoE authorities or individuals from the locality who bring it up to the former.
Even the beach in Cox's Bazar, which happens to be the longest natural sea shore in the world, has been the target of grabbing. Several buildings have come up in the last few years close to the beach that ruined the beauty of the place to a great extent.
Illegal occupation of parks and hills are also reported. The occupiers chop down trees and cut hills for construction of buildings mostly for commercial uses.
We have been continually reporting on such misdeeds of errant organisations and individuals who are always on the look out for loopholes in existing rules and regulations. They, in connivance with a few cronies in the locality, officials and some members of forest department and law enforcing authorities seize the first opportunity to get into the act.
Once again we stress the need for stern action against such illegal acts so as to hold to account all those responsible for expropriating public property.
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