Illegal sand lifting going on unabated from Teesta river

RANGPUR, May 6: Illegal sand lifting is going on unabated from Teesta river  at Mahipur area under Gangachara upazila in Rangpur district posing  serious threat to the under construction second Teesta bridge  over the river in the area and causing  risk of massive erosion.
A section of unscrupulous sand traders are doing this illegal practice in collusion with some influential local political leaders and dishonest officials in the administration, it is alleged.
Locals alleged that   the influential quarters are involved in lifting sand illegally. The sand traders have been lifting sand from near the pillars of the under construction second Teesta bridge for the last one month. As a result the bridge is under threat, they further alleged.  It seems that officials concerned are oblivious to the matter, they also said.
Sand traders are lifting sand from the riverbed installing dredger machine in  the river. Due to indiscriminate dredging river erosion has been intensified, sources alleged.    They stock the extracted sand on the nearby croplands. More than 30 trolley loads of sand are sold every day from there. Per trolley sand is being sold at Tk 200, sources said.
People claimed that they lodged complaint several times with the Upazila Nirbahi Officer but no step has been taken so far in this regard. They further said that law enforcing agencies seem to be reluctant to take any action against the sand traders who are involved in continuous sand lifting.
Hundreds of acres of cultivable land and houses on the river bank are also threatened by erosion locals said. Many dwellers alleged that several acres of land of their areas have become unfit for cultivation due to continuous sand lifting. They urged the concerned authorities to take immediate measures to stop it.  
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