Plundering of stones from 3 Netrakona rivers continues

Illegal extraction of stones from the Goneshwari River goes on in Kalmakanda upazila of Netrakona, PHOTO: STAR

Unauthorised and unplanned extraction of stones from the border rivers of Goneshwari, Mahadeo and Bagla is causing a serious threat to the ecosystem in the region.
Backed allegedly by a section of local ruling party activists and leaders, men and women are taking away the boulders used in the country's booming construction sector.
According to the law, unauthorised digging and mining of riverbed is a punishable offence. The stone mines, known as 'Pathar Mohal', in different parts of the country are under state control. But here in Kolmakanda, the looting of the natural resource is going on under the nose of union and upazila parishad officials.
Nobody dares to protest as  syndicate of local leaders of the ruling party is involved with the plundering.
Defying the law, up to 16 dredgers have been deployed at each of the mining sites which are extracting huge quantities of stones every day and night.
The collected stones are sent to different areas of the country including Dhaka, sources said.
Local people told this correspondent that UP member and Lengura union Awami League activist Abul Kashem, general secretary of Lengura Jubo League Kabir Hossain, Jubo League activist Saju, Abdul Majeed, Ripon, Salim and few others have formed the syndicate. A highly influential group at upazila Sadar gives them the shelter and support for this huge business. Even police and upazila administration are helpless, they said.

Two workers collecting the stones for selling those to customers. PHOTO: STAR

Abdul Majeed of Phulbari said he had been collecting stones for less than 12 days through a single dredger. He did not seek any permission from anybody. He gathers stones on the river bank using his dredger and equipment. Then he sells them to the buyers coming from different places.
"Lots of people are digging stones. I am just one of them," he said.
Several local people like Syed Ali of village Kalapani said that they did not know whether it was forbidden to mine.
“But we are sure about one thing that if stone extraction continued in this manner, erosion will wipe out the villages located on the bank of the Goneswari,” Syed Ali said.
Local Awami League leader and Lengura UP member Nur Hossain, refuting the allegation against the ruling party men, said though people were protesting the matter, it all went unheeded.
Deputy Commissioner of Netrakona Anis Mahmud admitted that he heard the news unofficially. I will take legal steps after a discussion with upazila nirbahi officer of Kolmakanda, he said.