The district administration, Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) and Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) in a drive evacuating the residents from a hill slope in Chattogram in fear of landslide — FE Photo CHATTOGRAM, June 25: Hill cutting as well as unauthorised use of public land exacerbate the possibility of landslide which has ever been a looming danger on the hill slopes in Chattogram during monsoon.
A section of people cut hills and trees for personal interests including building houses. On the other hand another type of people rent shanties made on the hilly land taken into illegal possession by an influential quarter.
The practices- cutting hills and using public land without authorisation- have shown no sign of abatement though repeated landslide incidents have claimed scores of lives in the district over the years.
More than 0.1 million (one lakh) people are living in the hill slopes of Chattogram amid high risk of losing lives due to landslide.
Though the Chattogram district administration, Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) and Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) evacuate the hill residents to prevent loss of lives from possible landslide, they return and settle again on the hill slopes after the rainy weather improves.
In the mean time, Chattogram district administration has been on high alert against landslide in the hill areas as rainfalls are occurring incessantly for the last several days, under the influence of rough weather.
Massive landslides may occur in the hills of Chattogram any time during downpour, authorities apprehend.
Sources said during ceaseless rainfalls in recent time, the hill tops and hill sides appeared to be very risky for their dwellers.
The district administration is taking effective steps to shift the people from hill sides in the city to safer places during this monsoon.
Many people are living in houses built illegally on the hills while many have taken possession of the hill sides without authorisation. Sources said many illegal structures have been constructed on the hills by influential quarters by cutting their soil.
The district administration is continuing an eviction drive against the illegal occupiers of hills in the port city in the current month.
The administration conducted an operation at Lalkhan Bazaar from 9am to 1 pm on Thursday and removed a total of 47 illegal structures from the hill area.
Sources said Executive Magistrate Enamul Hasan and Assistant Land Commissioner of Kattoli Circle led the eviction drive along with representatives from Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL), Department of Environment (DoE), law enforcement agencies and fire service.
The team evicted 47 families from Lalkhan Bazar hills and demolished 47 illegal structures.
Executive Magistrate Enamul Hasan said the eviction drive to remove all illegal structures from hills and hill sides will continue.
It may be mentioned that the district administration of Chattogram has started eviction drive against the illegal occupiers of hills in the port city from June 14 last.
Executive magistrates led separate drives on Bayezid Road, Hathazari and Sitakunda areas of Chattogram on the day and removed a total of 300 illegal structures from Foujderhat under Sitakunda, Bayezid Bostami and Hathazari areas.
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