The Forest Department yesterday
started removing the installations of two ship breaking yards, which were set
up after razing several thousand trees on 14.5 acres of forested land in
Sitakunda upazila of Chittagong four years ago.
The drive was launched in line with a Supreme
Court order of October 6 last year. The review of the verdict was completed on
January 30.
The court also directed the Chittagong deputy
commissioner to give all assistance to the eviction drive and not lease the
land to any person or organisation in the future.
The eviction team, led by Executive Magistrate
Abdullah Arif Mohammad, planted over 1,000 saplings of different tree species
on the recovered land.
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Afterwards the department planted saplings there. Photo: Star
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In 1989, the authorities started
foresting 125 acres of land along the Sitakunda coast, said Divisional Forest
Officer (DFO) of the coastal division RSM Munirul Islam.
But in 2009, some land and district
administration officials illegally leased out 14.5 acres of the land to SK
Steels, and SK Ship Breaking and Recycling, said Range Officer of the coastal
forest division Muktaruzzaman. He said the officials admitted this before
court.
To set up the yards, the lessee felled 15,000
trees on July 3, 2009, said officials. Yesterday, two buildings were
demolished, while the rest of the installations, including power generators,
will be removed today.
Kamal Chowdhury, one of the three owners,
alleged that they were not informed of the drive beforehand. "Now we have
crores of taka in loan. How will we repay?"
The Forest Department filed a case against the
leasing of the land in 2009. The case finally ended up in the SC.
Source: the daily star. 25 February 2014
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