Editorial
Alarming depletion of forests
Strike at the root of impunity culture
A 7-year exhaustive study conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General on the unlawful grabbing of forest land has come up with some startling facts. The value of illegally occupied forestland nationwide is worth Tk 2,74,902crore. Putting that in perspective, it is roughly double the national budget for the fiscal year 2010-11. To state things are bad would be somewhat an understatement.
The sad reality is that despite having information about the incessant clearing of forest land, authorities are powerless to do something, especially in the face of powerful vested interests. Of the total land area forests comprise about 17 per cent. Dense vegetation stands at approximately 9.77 per cent, of which 4.45 per cent, or half, are in the hands of land grabbers.
It is not only a question of forcible taking over of forests by greedy loggers. What has come to light is that the rate of decimation has increased dramatically over the last four years. Illegal logging, smuggling of timber, land grabbing in the name of setting up industries have all colluded to make matters worse. Government rules and regulations governing forest reserves are openly flouted, thanks partly due to lack of coordination between the Department of Environment and other relevant ministries and divisions.
Forestry serves as a watershed, since practically all water ultimately comes from rivers and lakes and from forest-derived water tables. Taking that out of the equation would have disastrous results. Forests serve as a habitat for animals and insects and are an essential part of the ecosystem. A healthy ecosystem acts as a buffer against a variety of disasters.
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