BELA issues notice to stop Ctg hill cutting

Our Correspondent
CHATTOGRAM, July 02: The Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) has issued a formal notice to halt all construction activities involving hill cutting in Jamalkhan Askardighi area under Kotwali thana in the port-city.
The notice, demanding justice, has been sent to 13 high-ranking government officials and the entrepreneurs behind the residential project concerned.
The notice has been sent to the mayor of Chattogram City Corporation; secretaries of ministries of lands, housing and public works, and environment, forest and climate change; Chattogram divisional commissioner; director general of Department of Environment (DoE); chairman of Chattogram Development Authority (CDA); deputy commissioner (DC) of Chattogram; superintendent of Chattogram District Police; director of DoE - Chattogram Division; authorised officer-2 of CDA; and the entrepreneurs of the residential project including Shajal Chowdhury and others.
Issued by M Hasanul Banna on behalf of BELA on Monday, the notice highlights that the land used for the residential project 'Swapneel Family' is officially recorded as hill slopes, hills, and gardens.
Recently, a report titled 'Cutting hills after changing records' revealed that the owners have begun constructing a multi-storied residential building by altering the land records. Although conditional construction permission was granted by the CDA's authorised officer-2, the DoE has withheld its environmental clearance.
The notice alleges that the landowners have continued construction without the required environmental clearances, defying the legal restrictions and the DC's orders to halt the project. The unauthorised construction poses significant environmental risks and threatens irreversible damage to Grindlays Bank Hill.
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