Steps against tree robbers needed

The official figure of lands under forest in Bangladesh is about 8.0 per cent though unofficially even the same is doubted. This is a poor figure, considering the needs of environmental safety. Environmentalists may come up with all kinds of explanation for the worsening of conditions in this sphere. The burgeoning population of the country creating pressures on limited trees and vegetation is cited here as one of the main reasons for this. But the fact is that the reckless deforestation has a lot to do also with law enforcement. The lack of if now allows the cutting down of trees from even reserved forest areas in most carefree manner. It is reported by the media how rows and rows of trees on both sides of the Teknaf Road are cut down by gangs. Such trees were planted by governmental authorities and meant to be preserved. But is there anyone to be held accountable for their present cut-down existence? It seems not. Such reckless cutting down of trees which were considered as public resources were also reported frequently in different parts of the country. But hardly anybody is arrested or no effective punitive action is taken in response to the same. Thus, one such act of robbing trees is encouraging another. If the government really means business, then it must stop such wanton cutting down of trees. The cutting down of privately owned trees can be responded by nothing more than publicities and moral persuasion. But it is duly expected from the government to protect absolutely the trees or forest resources directly under its control. There cannot be absolutely any scope for admitting any kind of slack in this vital area of concern for the country's environment. Successive governments have been encouraging and materially promoting tree plantation. But there is much worry about the ultimate gains to accrue from afforestation measures in the absence of hard policies to put a hard brake on deforestation activities as well; the rate of deforestation is significantly higher than the rate of afforestation. The factors which are contributing the most to such deforestation will have to be addressed by various policy measures and their enforcement by the government. The same may include policies to encourage wood substitutes, stopping the burning of wood in brick kilns, etc. But meanwhile, the hardest of law enforcement activities are the most important action that all concerned would like to see in operation in order to stop the practice of the cutting down of publicly owned trees. Aisha Dilruba Chowdhury New Eskaton, Dhaka