DoE seizes excavator used for hill cutting in Chattogram

The Department of Environment (DoE) in Chattogram today seized an excavator on charge of illegal hill-cutting in Boalkhali upazila of Chattogram.

Tipped off, a DoE team launched a drive at Vandaljuri village under Sripur union in the upazila this noon and seized the excavator, said Md Afzarul Islam, assistant director of Chattogram DoE.

Without obtaining approval from the DoE, one Md Yousuf, also owner of the hill, engaged an excavator to flatten the hills in the area for his fish farm, he said.

Around 400 square feet of the hills was razed by the excavator before the DoE team reached the spot, the official told our Chattogram correspondent.

"Being informed, we rushed to spot, seized the excavator and assessed the damage. We will soon issue a notice to the hill owner to appear before the DoE office in Chattogram, " he said.

Cutting hills without approval is a punishable offence according to the Environment Conservation Act-2010.