Most hills across the country are facing serious destruction due to human interventions like random earth cutting, tree chopping and unplanned construction of structures and for lack of an effective plan to protect those, expert said, reports UNB.
Environment expert and executive director of Bangladesh Centre for Advance Studies Dr Atiq Rahman, Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba) Chairman Abu Naser Khan and Prof M Shahidul Islam of Dhaka University's Geography and Environment department said massive afforestation with indigenous plants, strong monitoring on hill resources and formation of a comprehensive hill management policy and proper action plan are urgently needed to protect the hills.
They also warned that the hills may face serious consequences in the future if 'effective steps' are not taken to check their ruination and ensure proper use of their lands and resources.
Contacted, Environment and Forest Minister Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud said it is essential to strengthen the monitoring system to stop hill cutting and tree felling. "We can't do it properly for lack of manpower. There's been no recruitment over the last six years to increase manpower and ensure strong monitoring in hills."
He, however, said the government is going to take steps for increasing manpower to look after the hills and their resources.
Dr Atiq Rahman said the stability of the country's hills is very poor as most of them are created with soil, not with rock. "The hills are getting destroyed due to mindless deforestation and earth cutting for lack of monitoring and effective action plan to protect those."
The environment expert said massive afforestation is necessary to stabilize hill slopes and thus prevent possible landslides in the hilly region. "An innovative project should be taken to construct roads and establishments on the hills in a planned way, and protect the eco-system and biodiversity of the hills."
He also warned that if the government does not come up with proper plans and action programmes to protect the hills, the nation will have to pay a heavy price in the near future.
Abu Naser Khan said most of the country's hills are in very bad condition due to rampant hill cutting, tree chopping, unplanned use of hill and its resources and lack of channels for rainwater to drain out.
He said the government needs to make a national hill management policy to protect the hills and check landslides, "It'll have to ensure that natural forests on hills are not destroyed in any way."
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
