SYLHET, May 05: At least 15,000 poor people of Sylhet region are risking their lives living on slopes of hills and hillocks.
They become vulnerable especially during the onslaught of monsoon apprehending mudslides on the hillocks around their homestead.
Almost every year some of the poor and grassroots families fall victim to such incidents in the region.
The authority concerned remains like a mute spectator and does not take into cognizance the severity of the situation though in the past some people lost their lives due to mudslide, it is alleged.
Generally people are shifted or evacuated after death of inmates on small thatched houses on the hills almost every year.
Risking their own lives a good number of people do live on the small rooms on the hillock slopes on Sylhet city suburban areas like Baluchar, Akhalia, Airport Road, Nalia, Bhatera, Alurtal, Khadimpara etc.
However, such temporary habitats are seen at places in other upazilas like Jaintapur, Gowainghat, Golapganj, Beanibazar and Fenchuganj.
Besides, the same scenario prevails in different upazilas of Moulvibazar district like Barlekha, Kulaura and Srimangal.
An official said during the monsosoon the administration often makes announcement through loudspeakers locally asking the inhabitants of those unsafe structures to leave the homesteads, but since they don't have any home or land, the people can't move to any safer place.
Rather they take shelter on the temporary places just for days.
As the rainy season is getting closer, there would be announcements to evacuate such people living on the hillock slopes, said an official at the district administration.
Considering the problem as a serious one, a number of social leaders have urged the government to rehabilitate such ultra-poor people on the government-planned cluster villages on emergency basis.
Besides, restriction should also be imposed on making such habitats on the hillock slopes, they said.
forsylhet@gmail.com