Poba demands national hill management policy
Poribesh Bachao Andolon forms a human chain in front of the Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University yesterday demanding that the authorities concerned take punitive measures against those who illegally cut hills and chop down forests.Photo: STAR
Leaders of Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba) yesterday formed a human chain demanding formulation of a national hill management policy to stop hill cutting, deforestation, and unplanned human settlements, which are causing landslides in Chittagong. A politically influential quarter has been cutting down trees, developing lands for housing projects, and making unplanned roads in the hilly areas while the government is indifferent to these illegal activities, they said at the programme organised in front of the Fine Arts Institute of Dhaka University. As a result of these activities several hundred people have fallen victim to landslides across the Chittagong hill areas and in the latest incident 85 people died in last Tuesday's landslide, speakers said demanding punishment of hill cutters and grabbers. “Random cutting down of trees causes cracks on the hills in summer due to excessive heat. When rain water enters these cracks, the soft soil of the hills become extremely vulnerable to slides,” said Poba Chairman Abu Naser Khan. ”Local administration asks low income people living at the foot of the hills to evacuate during the rainy season but they do not give any instruction or place to shift to,” said Prof Kamal Ataur Rahman. Speakers also asked the government to make Department of Environment more efficient for quicker case filing and investigation against hill cutters.
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