DoE sends notice to Cox's Bazar Development Authority to stop hill cutting activities
BELA sends notice to 9 people including secretaries of 3 ministries
The Department of Environment (DoE) has issued a notice to the Cox's Bazar Development Authority (CBDA) over hill cutting in the Residential Flat Development Project-1 area under the organisation.
DoE Director Farid Ahmed sent the notice to the CBDA chairman on 19 February.
At the same time, the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) issued a notice to nine people, including secretaries of three ministries, to take necessary measures toward stopping the cutting of hills in the district.
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BELA lawyer Zakia Sultana served the notice on Tuesday (20 February).
Secretaries of the environment, forest and climate Change ministry, land ministry, housing and public works ministry; divisional commissioner of Chattogram, DoE director general, the CBDA chairman, deputy commissioner of Cox's Bazar, superintendent of Cox's Bazar Police and the DoE director were made respondents to the notice.
In the notice by the DoE, the CBDA was requested to provide reasons with appropriate information and evidence as to why legal action will not be taken against those responsible for the violation of the provisions of the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act 1995 by cutting hills.
The respondents have been asked to submit their response within the next three working days.
According to the Environment Conservation Act, hill cutting is punishable by law.
Deputy Director of the DoE Cox's Bazar Office Nurul Amin said they have sent a notice to the CBDA after conducting an on-site investigation into the incident of hill cutting.
"They've been given a notice after inspecting the site of the incident. They were requested to stop cutting hills and provide information and evidence," he said.
Commenting on the issue, CBDA Chairman Commodore Mohammad Nurul Abshar said, "The CBDA has not taken any initiative of hill cutting to construct any structure. The soil collapses from the two hilly lands on the east and north sides of the two buildings under construction under the project every monsoon. The basement and ground floor of the two buildings and the lives of the workers are in danger.
"In order to avoid the loss of life and property in such accidents in the upcoming monsoon season, the steep hillsides have been cut and a 45 degree slope has been created by planting different species of trees on it."
