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Mindless sand lifting on from Kuakata beach

Protest goes unheeded

3 February 2009, 18:00 PM

NATIONAL

Our Correspondent, Patuakhali

Sand lifting on Kuakata sea beach, being done to repair an LGED rest house nearby, makes the area vulnerable to erosion by waves.Photo: STAR

A key area of Kuakata sea beach is now under threat as a contractor is lifting sand illegally from the beach for several days to repair a nearby rest house cum biogas-plant owned by Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). During a visit to the area yesterday morning, this correspondent saw large holes as over 20 labourers were engaged in lifting sand from the beach. LGED has issued a Tk 22 lakh work order to a contractor to repair the rest house cum biogas plant, which became uninhabitable after being seriously damaged by super cyclone Sidr on November 15 night in 2007. The contractor, who began the repair work in last week, started lifting sand from the beach within about 200 yards. Sand lifting will make the rest house more vulnerable as the beach is frequently hit by tidal waves from the Bay, said Shahjahan Akon, a local businessman in Kuakata. “Water will stagnate in the holes created by large scale sand lifting at the key point on the beach. It will cause sufferings for visitors at the tourist spots,” said a resident of Kuakata. There are allegations that the contractor has continued illegal sand lifting from the beach through managing the authorities concerned. LGED Executive Engineer SM Salam, however, said, “I have already asked the contractor to stop sand lifting from the beach.” When contacted, Kalapara Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ranojit Kumar said, “I heard the matter. I will take steps to stop lifting sand from the beach.” In January last year, another construction firm started sand lifting from the beach in the same way but the district administration later stopped the work. On December 6, Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA) organised a human chain on the beach to save it from erosion, green house effect.