Defying DoE Order: Influential man filling up pond
Defying an order by the Department of Environment (DoE), a pond is being filled up illegally to make way for a two-storey building in Sreemangal upazila headquarters.
A few months ago, local influential person Sawkat Ali and his son Rahmat Ali Shuva constructed the building after filling up a major portion of 27 decimals of the pond in Birahimpur, alleged residents of the area.
The two continued filling up the pond to make way for the building, they said, adding that DoE, however, issued an order on January 22 and asked Sawkat and his son to stop filling up the water body.
Earlier, locals submitted an application to the DoE seeking a ban on filling of the pond.
Rahman Mizan, a resident of Birahimpur area, said some local influential people have been occupying three sides of the pond for long. Another portion of the pond is attached to a road.
Shah Shaheda Akther, divisional coordinator of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela), Sylhet unit, said according to the Wetland Protection Act, 2000, filling up of any pond or water body with permission is prohibited and considered as a punishable offence.
Freedom fighter Md Ali Mumin, another resident of the area, said a section of local people have continued garbage dumping in the pond to grab it.
This mindless garbage dumping is also posing health risks to locals, he said.
During the rainy season, it becomes almost impossible to live in the area due to the floating garbage, said Mumin.
Another dweller Md Sahed of Birahimpur said they have recently submitted a memorandum to DoE in Moulvibazar to stop filling up the pond but it still continues as the land grabbers are very powerful.
Jabed Bhuiyan, join convener of Lawachhara Bon O Jibaboichitra Rokkha Andalan, said the encroachment by land grabbers had narrowed the width of the main pond. Several illegal bamboo structures were seen on the pond.
The grabbers have already occupied a major portion of the pond due to negligence of some government officials, he added.
Badrul Huda, assistant director of DoE in Moulvibazar, said during a recent visit to the area, it was found that pond grabbing continued.
On January 22, they issued an order and asked Sawkat and his son to stop filling up the pond, he said, adding that on that day, police went to the spot and stopped filling up of the water body.
Sawkat Ali, however, denied the allegation of defying the DoE order.
“The land where the pond is located is my property. I began filling up some portions of it to make a way for the building,” he said.
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