'Take steps to stop illegal sand lifting'
Speakers at a meeting yesterday demanded a stop to illegal sand lifting from rivers, especially Monu and Dholai, in six upazilas.
Dishonest people are lifting sand from the rivers, threatening erosion of nearby villages, so the government should take necessary measures to stop sand lifting, they said.
They said this while addressing a discussion meeting organised by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela) in Kamalganj upazila town.
Advocate Shah Shaheda Akter, coordinator of Bela's Sylhet division, was chief guest.
“Sand lifting continues unabated due to involvement of influential people. The local authorities had promised to take action to stop sand lifting, but they did not do it,” she said.
Bangladesh Poribesh Sangbadik Forum General Secretary Muhaimin Milton conducted the meeting. He said a local syndicate has been lifting sand from Monu and Dholai rivers for the last few months. They complained several times to the upazila administration but no action has been taken yet.
Joynal Mia, a farmer at Dholai river basin area in Madhabpur area, said 40 to 50 truckloads of sand are lifted from Dholai river every day.
Nur Mia of same village said the main road is getting damaged as sand-laden trucks move on it every day.
Comments