Stop sand extraction by digging cultivable land

Satkhira court asks administration

9 July 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Satkhira

Sand lifting continues at Kushlia in Kaliganj upazila of Satkhira, left, a large hole caused by the indiscriminate sand extraction makes the area vulnerable to landslide.Photo: STAR

Three persons have been sued on charge of illegal extraction of sand from cultivable plain lands in Kushlia area of Kaliganj upazila. Kazi Humayun Kabir of village Kushlia, who filed the case on behalf of the affected villagers, also submitted a prayer to the court for immediately stopping the sand extraction that is posing threat to environment, court sources said. The accused are Sheikh Sirajul Islam, Akram Hossain and Mokarram Ali of village Kushlia. After a long hearing, Zahidul Islam, assistant judge in Sathkira District and Sessions Judges Court, issued show cause notices asking the accused to reply within seven days as to why legal action would not be taken against them for extracting sand from cultivable plain land. The court also asked Kaliganj upazila administration to take action to stop the sand lifting immediately, sources said. The accused have been extracting sand by digging cultivable plain land, destroying trees and even homesteads for the last four years as sand selling is more profitable than crop cultivation, the complainant said. As trees are cut and big holes are created by using dredging machine to lift sand digging 50 to 60 feet in the cultivable plain land, it causes erosion in adjoining plain lands during the rainy season, he added. Despite strong opposition by the villagers, sand lifters have somehow managed to continue their operations under the patronage of local administration, he said. Local people fear that the unchecked sand extraction will lead to depletion of sweet water reservoirs as underground water level has started receding. Besides it may lead to environmental disasters including landslide and earthquake in the area.