100 families evicted from risky hill slopes in Ctg
To avoid casualties caused by landslides during monsoon, the Chittagong district administration conducted an eviction drive yesterday against the hill dwellers vulnerable to the calamity.
It was conducted in Railway Toton Housing area after the hill dwellers were notified on Saturday, said district administration officials. An announcement about the eviction was made in the evening, they added.
However, the over 100 evicted families claimed that they were not informed about the drive.
The drive began around 10:00am and continued till 1:30pm. The administration dismantled around 100 tin-shed houses. Illegal water, gas and power connections were also disconnected.
“We evicted those who were living at the foot of the hills in Akbar Shah area to avert any landslide causality during the monsoon,” said Sheikh Jobaer Ahmed, assistant commissioner (AC) (land) of Kattoli Circle, who led the drive. Three more ACs (land), police and ansar personnel, and officials of Department of Environment and other government organisations assisted in the drive.
Asked as to why people are being evicted from the hill slopes without making any alternative arrangement for them, AC Jobaer said, “We have no other option but to do so as landslides may occur due to heavy rainfall.”
When asked about relocating the families, he said, “This is an ongoing drive. We are doing so to save the lives of those living on hill slopes in different areas. It is not easy to relocate such a large number of people.”
He did not elaborate any further, but said they did not evict all the hill dwellers. “We evicted those who were most vulnerable to landslides.”
UNCERTAINTY GRIPS FAMILIES
Meanwhile, a sense of anxiety and uncertainty regarding their future was prevailing among the evicted families.
During the drive, many families were seen shocked, many were crying while salvaging their belongings from the debris. A teary-eyed four-year-old Samia was sitting beside some bags, a broken chair, a radio and a bucket -- whatever her family could save.
Many women were trying to stop the drive but police and ansar personnel drove them out.
“Where will I go with my physically-challenged husband now?” asked 60-year-old Shahida Akhtar. “Nobody notified us before the eviction,” she alleged.
“I have been living here since 1986 after purchasing the land at Tk 20,000,” she claimed.
Another resident, Lovely, 55, stared at her dismantled house in disbelief. “They [the administration] came here in the morning and started breaking my home. Now, where am I supposed to go with my family?”
“Ramadan is here, what am I supposed to do now?” she questioned.
Meanwhile, her neighbour, 70-year-old Khursida, kept on wailing. “My house was dismantled… I have nothing left now.”
Many locals alleged that occupying the railway land, a section of influential people constructed the houses and rented them out to the lower-income people.
LANDSLIDE THREAT
Due to heavy rainfall, landslides continue to pose a threat to the port city.
Earlier, six people were killed in a mudslide in Akbar Shah Mazar (shrine) area on June 27, 2012 while five others were killed in Biswo Colony of Akbar Shah the same day.
Moreover, landslides killed 127 people in the port city in 2007, 17 in 2011 and 28 in 2012.
According to the DoE, incidents of landslides also occurred in the last few years, but no casualty was reported.
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