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Hillock cutting going unchecked in three Tangail upazilas

Our Correspondent, Tangail
Defying all applicable laws, destruction of environment and ecosystem through cutting of hillocks is going on unabated in Tangail's Ghatail, Mirzapur and Sakhipur upazilas.
With the authorities concerned turning a blind eye to the crime, earth traders, many of them locally influential, have been razing hillocks one after another in board daylight for their financial gains, which is ultimately causing irreparable damage to the flora and fauna of the areas, locals alleged.
Hill cutting is particularly rampant in Ghatail's Jiladengor, Makrai, Ghoramara, Panjachala, Horinachala Teghori, Deopara, Parbahulee, Chourasha,
Sandhanpur, Maidharchala
and Digor; Mirzapur's Tarafpur, Takia Kodma, Digolchala and Bashtoil; and Sakhipur's Sapiarchala, Bagerbari, Indarjani, Boheratoil, Arangchala, Amtoil, Amgachhchala and Gilachala areas, they also said.
Earth dug out from the hillocks are being transported in large trucks to fill up lowlands in and around the upazilas. Aside from leaving a long-term negative impact on the overall environment, the excessive movement of earthmovers and trucks are also damaging rural roads and causing dust pollution in the area.
Reckless movement of the heavy vehicles are also causing frequent accidents to inhabitants of the villages, said the aggrieved locals.
According to a study conducted by Environmental Science and Resource Management department at Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University in Tangail, small and medium-sized undulating hillocks -- locally known as chala or tila that are usually covered with lush green vegetation - are very common in Tangail and Gazipur.
The hillocks in these two districts are being destroyed in the process of growing commercialisation and urbanisation. Cutting of the hillocks as well as deforestation are causing destruction of ecosystems and natural habitats of innumerable organisms, the study revealed.
Only three decades ago, the hillocks, covered with natural sal trees, used to provide habitat for numerous wild animals including snakes and birds. With many of these hillocks and forestry on a large area destroyed, a number of species have also disappeared.
If continues to go unabated, the cutting of hillocks in the area will pose risks of environmental disasters such as landslides, the study finds.
Locals in Deopara union of Ghatail said amidst the ongoing
onslaught on the environment in the area, two large hillocks were flattened and a large number of trees on top of those were chopped down in Jiladengor village recently.
Abu Bakar, Abul Hossain and Nurul Islam - who claimed to have inherited the hillocks, said they sold earth from the hillocks as well as the trees for money.
Another land owner, Sirajul Islam from Takia Kodma village in Mirzapur, said he got Tk 350 for each truck of earth from a hillock that he cut for constructing a house there.
Contacted, Nurnahar Begum, assistant commissioner (land) in Ghatail, said they would conduct drives against the plunderers.
However, Mirzapur AC (Land) Mainul Haque claimed that the destruction of hillocks has been
stopped in his upazila.
"I have sources deployed in different areas. Immediate action will be taken as soon as information of any such violation is received," he said.
Mujahidul Islam, deputy director of Department of Environment (DoE) in Tangail, said under the environment preservation laws, it is a punishable offence to destroy hills and hillocks, regardless of their ownership.
The DoE, however, is unable to file any case against the violators when a specific hillock is not classified as hillock in government land records, the official added.
"We, however, can conduct mobile court drives against it [violations]. We already wrote to the district administration, seeking necessary executive magistrates."