Illegal hill rock extraction threatening ecology

llegal collection and sale of rocks from hills, waterfalls and canals in eight upazilas in the district is going on unabated posing serious threat to environment and ecology.

Rock extraction causes erosion of hill cliffs often leading to catastrophic landslides. This also contributes to developing silts in nearby rivers -- a major reason for untimely flooding in Khagrachhari and filling up of Chhara, Zeeree (local name of water sources), environmentalists observed.

According to rock lifters, over 2.5 lakh cubic feet (cft) hill rocks are removed annually from the spots in eight upazilas of the district. Each cft of rocks is sold at Tk 120 to Tk 150. This illegal business is going on under the very nose of security men and officials of forest department, sources said.

Divisional Forest Office sources said the department is responsible for issuing transit passes and collecting revenue.

Primary buyers of the illegal rocks are contractors of various government projects under the municipality, LGED (Local Government and Engineering Department), Public Works Department (PWD), Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board (CHTDB) and Roads and Highways Department (RHD).

To legitimise the illegal construction materials, the contractors pay a hefty amount of bribe to the high officials of these departments, sources informed.

According to a government circular issued by a senior assistant secretary of the Environment and Forest Ministry on June 29, 2002, the government is supposed to collect revenue at a rate of Tk. 58 per cft.

In that case the amount of revenue from rocks in Khagrachhari would stand at least at Tk 1 crore annually.

This correspondent witnessed huge stockpiles of hill rocks at Nunchhari, Gugrachhari, Gamaridala, Champaghat and Mohalchhara under Sadar upazila, Akhbari, Dharmopur and Ramsira under Matiranga upazila, Baradam, Babuchhara and Araimail under Dighinala, Kongchairipara and Simanapara under Panchhari, Sindukchhara and Karbaripara under Mohalchhari upazila, Jouthakhamar and Headmanpara under Ramgar upazila, and various other places in Laxmichhari and Manikchhari.

Chailaprue Marma,45, a local rock collector from Gugrachhari said he was neither aware of any adverse effect of rock lifting nor he knew if he had to pay for it to the government.

Mongcrow Marma, another collector told this correspondent that although they are getting hard cash but it is causing crisis of water in winter season.

A first class contractor in Khagrachhari refuted the allegation of buying hill rocks illegally for construction work. He, however, admitted that hill rocks are sometimes used to prevent erosion of river banks.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (BELA) urged the authorities to take stern action against the culprits. "If this continues unabated water crisis would become a major cause of concern as more than 60 percent indigenous people depend on natural sources like Chhara and Zeeree", said Abu Daud, network member of BELA.

Sub Divisional Engineer of Public Works Department (PWD) Prodip Kumar Bose citing abrasion test results said, the natural rocks of hill areas are not suitable for construction works.

Assistant Commissioner (Land) Kawser Hossain told The Daily Star that Deputy Commissioner Khairul Alam recently seized three rock-laden trucks from Gurgujjachhari under Sadar upazila and handed over to police. They had transit pass issued for Selim & Brothers by the Divisional Forest Officer.

Divisional Forest Officer Ali Kabir denied the allegation and said he is not aware about it. He said, some local people collect hill rocks in a small scale for household purposes. Terming it illegal, he said the department can not check it because of shortage of manpower.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Mohammad Tareq Ahmed informed that a case has been filed against Selim & Brothers and added police seized the three trucks with rocks.

Deputy Commissioner Khairul Alam said he had directed all upazila nirbahi officers (UNOs) to take necessary action so that none can collect hill rocks illegally. A special inspection team has been formed in this regard, he added.