Over 50, including CCC councillors, sued over hill cutting for housing project

The Department of Environment (DoE) has filed a case against over 50 people, including two councillors of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC), for allegedly cutting hills illegally to construct an unauthorised housing project in the city.

The DoE's Chattogram District Office Research Officer Md Ashraf Uddin filed the case with the Akbar Shah Police Station today (5 September).

The accused include Nesar Uddin Manju and Jahurul Alam Jasim, councillors of wards 9 and 10 of CCC, Jahangir Alam, president of Mirpur Malik Kalyan Cooperative Housing Society Ltd, and Belayet Hossain, society's general secretary.

The case also accused 40 to 50 unidentified people.

Ashraf Uddin told The Business Standard that the syndicate reportedly defied instructions from the Department of Environment to halt their activities.

"Despite repeated warnings, the group proceeded with hill cutting, violating environmental regulations and putting the local ecosystem at risk," he added.

According to DoE, the accused have been running an illegal syndicate, cutting hills without obtaining the necessary environmental clearances. The group is accused of establishing a housing project in Salimpur Union under Mirpur Malik Kalyan Cooperative Housing Society Ltd, where they have sold approximately 250 plots covering 4-5 acres of land by illegally cutting hills.

The DoE also stressed the need for swift legal action to prevent further ecological degradation and hold those responsible accountable.