300 roadside trees 'disappear' in 3 months in Thakurgaon

Remains of trunks bear testimony to random tree felling by thieves on Thakurgaon-Ruhea Road.Photo: STAR

The roadside trees on 14 kilometres of Thakurgaon-Ruhea road under Thakurgaon Sadar upazila see a gradual decrease as tree felling by thieves has increased recently due to lack of supervision by the authorities concerned.
Local NGO Organisation for Rural Development planted about 15,000 jackfruit trees on the 14-kilometre road under a project of LGED in 1996, sources said.
Akcha and Rajagaon union parishads looked after the trees till 2003 and then the charge was handed over to Thakurgaon Zila Parishad.
During the last three months, thieves felled down and took away over 300 trees from beside the road, locals said, adding that thirty of them were stolen on Sunday and Monday night.
During a visit on Tuesday, this correspondent found remains of a good number of recently felled trees along the road.
At some places thieves also dug out the tree roots.
Besides, a section of unscrupulous villagers often pluck leaves from the trees to feed their goats, hampering growth of the trees.
"Twelve roadside trees were stolen beside Barama Garden on the road on last Sunday and Monday night," said Khitan Barman, 24, of Uttar Thakurgaon village under Sadar upazila.
"Four trees were stolen on last Monday night within a half kilometre area of the village. Tree stealing has increased recently," said Sabitri Rani Roy, 20, of Dhampara village under the same upazila.
Subrata Kumar Barman, chairman of Akcha Union Parishad, said, "When the union parishad supervised the trees, nobody dared cutting the trees or their leaves. That time the government got revenue of Tk 2/3-lakh per year by selling the fruits."
Abu Nur, a businessman and social worker of Ruhea union, said, "The trees add to the beauty of the road, in addition to providing fruits to local people. We should come forward to save the trees and the administration concerned should take the matter seriously."
Contacted over cell phone, Chief Executive Officer of Thakuraon Zila Parishad Abdul Mannan said, "Zila Parishad surveyor Kamala Kanta has found signs of theft of 101 trees beside the road. The officer concern will file a case with Thakurgaon police station in this regard.
"We cannot supervise the trees properly due to lack of manpower," he added.