Mindless lifting of sand from a canal flowing along a tea garden in Habiganj's Chunarughat upazila has led to the collapse of a bridge and eroded at least 40 houses, affecting hundreds of families in the area.

Besides, several more houses at Chaklapunjee Tea Garden are also on the verge of collapse anytime, locals said.

Hundreds of workers of the tea garden have been suffering a lot as the authorities concerned are yet to repair the collapsed concrete bridge.

During a visit to the area this correspondent saw local people, especially school

going children, crossing the broken bridge amid risk of accident.

Mithun Urang, a resident of Chaklapunjee Tea Carden, said the approach road connecting the bridge over a canal on Chunarughat-Madhabpur road collapsed in lune this year as a result of illegal sand lifting and incessant rainfall.

Road communication between Chunarughat and Madhabpur upazilas through the tea garden route remained suspended due to the bridge collapse, he said.

People's suffering mounts when rainwater covers the potholes as vehicular movement on the road remains suspended for quite some time.

Seventy-year-old Lakhi Rajbongshi of

Chaklapunjee area said illegal sand lifting has destroyed most of the houses of the garden.

"If our house is eroded, where will we go?" he asked.

Tea labourer's leader Swapan Santal said although two female workers of the garden died after being stuck in the sand due to the mindless sand lifting, the authorities concerned have turned a blind eye to their woes.

Babulal Santal, president of Bangladesh Cha Sramik Union, Chaklapunjee unit, said over 40 houses have already been destroyed while the rest are also at risk due to the sand lifting.

Shubhankar Chandra Nag, manager of the tea garden, said they have already relo-

cated some affected workers to another place and while process to relocate the rest workers is underway.

Local people alleged that Jitu Mia, a local influential amn, is involved with the illegal sand lifting business for long.

Refuting the allegation, Jitu said a section of people in the area are trying to destroy his goodwill.

Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon's (Bapa), Habiganj unit General Secretary Tofazzal Sohel said about 40 houses were eroded due to the unabated illegal sand lifting by some local influential people.

Habiganj Additional Deputy Commissioner Nazmul Zahid Pavel said they will take immediate action against the culprits for lifting sand illegally.