Sanmar Properties fined Tk 2 lakh for cutting down hills in Chattogram

The Department of Environment has fined Sanmar Properties Tk 2 lakh for constructing a building called 'Sanmar Green Park' by cutting down hills in Chattogram.

Following the hearing on Wednesday, Mohammad Nurullah Noori, director of the Chattogram metropolitan office of the Department of Environment, ordered the compensation.

Mia Mahmudul Haque, deputy director of the environment department's Chattogram metropolitan office, told The Business Standard on Thursday morning, "On the basis of secret information, a team from the Chattogram office of the environment department visited the site on October 19 in Jalalabad area of ​​Arefin Nagar. There they found evidence of cutting down the hill on the south-west part of the 26 storied building."

'Sanmar Green Park' authorities were fined Tk 2 lakh for damaging the environment and the ecosystem by cutting down 1,000-square-foot area of the hill. Instructions have been given to pay the allotted amount within the next seven days and restore the hill, multi-storied buildings or any other development activities on the land cannot be constructed without the prior permission or clearance of the Department of Environment.

Meanwhile, the Department of Environment found evidence of cutting down 100 trees on the basis of locals' allegations about the construction of a multi-storey building by cutting down hills and trees at Muradpur Forest Laboratory Summer Hill under Bayazid Bostami Police Station.

Mia Mahmudul Haque said that Sanmar Properties has been directed to appear at the hearing on 8 November at the Chattogram metropolitan office of the environment department.