Notice of Concern on govt to protect Lawachara
Association for Land Reform and Development, Ain O Shalish Kendro, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust. Nijera Kori, Odhikar and Paribesh Bachao Andolon yesterday served a Notice of Concern expressing their distress over the government decision to permit the Chevron Bangladesh Ltd for conducting 3D seismic survey in the fragile reserved forests and national park of Lawachara to assess the possibility of gas exploration there, says a press release.
The notice refers that Lawachara that enjoys the status of both reserve forest and national park, is an extremely rich eco-system that reportedly sustains at least 167 plant species, four species of amphibians, six species of reptiles, 246 species of birds, 20 species of mammals and also hosts the tribal communities of Khashiya.
The existing laws of the country prohibit certain activities including mining in a national park.
The notice claims that overruling the clear objections from the forest department and without justifying the reasons for doing so, the Ministry of Environment and Forest purported to relax the prohibitions of law in allowing Chevron to undertake the survey in Lawachara forest.
The environmental groups demanded that the clearance given to Chevron is withdrawn immediately to protect the wildlife and irreplaceable resources of the Lawachara forest for the benefit of the present and future generation.
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