15000 families vulnerable to landslides in Khagrachhari

Atleast 25 thousand people of about 15 thousand families from eight upazila in hill district Khagrachhari are threatened by devastating hillslides as they built their houses, business centers and other development structure cutting the natural hill and without any environment friendly plan.
Neither District Administration nor Khagrachhari Hill District Council is yet to take any initiative to re-settle these identified families as vulnerable to landslides.
As a result over 25 thousand people of the hill district passing sleepless night as the rainy season has already began and the incessant rain might cause hill slides.
Last year, a number of houses from 8 upazilas of the district were damaged with their properties in onrush rainwater.
District Agriculture Extension (AEO) and Divisional Forest Office (DFO) sources said, despite a government ban, illegal hill cutting continues unabated in different parts of the hill district Khagrachhari posing serious threat to lives, natural environment and biodiversity of the hill district.
Local environmental activists and journalists filed several general diaries with police stations in Khagrachhari in regard to hill cutting, but the administration is yet to take any effective steps to protect the hills from depletion.
Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bella) informed the concerned authorities in 2006 for taking immediate actions against the plunderers of hills, sources said.
Abu Daud Muhammad, member secretary of local NGO Parivesh Surakkha Andolon said in the hilly areas some syndicates engage a number of day laborers for hill cutting paying Tk 100 to 120 per day as wages.
The unscrupulous traders supply hilly soil to fill up canals and low lands for constructing houses and markets in the district and its adjacent areas, he claimed.
"Soil supply has become a profitable business among the hill cutters as they need only a little investment for a huge profit. A truck of hilly soil is sold at Tk 500. Tazul Islam, a truck driver from Sadar upazila said.
Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Monindra Kishor Majumder refuted the allegation of his official involvement with hill plunderers.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Ali Kabir said Khagrachhari is facing an unexpected danger, at any time any accident might be happened causing miseries for people. An integrated approach is necessary for saving hilly environment, he said. While Contacted Superintendent of Police (SP) Mohammad Qaiumuzzaman Khan said, they are taking necessary action in this regard.Khagrachhari Hill District Council Chairman Monindra Lal Tripura said they have surveyed these families of Sadar upazila and decided to settle them.