Due to pragmatic steps by the local administration, the illegal sand excavation from the river Brahmaputra in Chilmari Upazila of Kurigram has been completely stopped.
Sources said that earlier, sand was being extracted illegally from various places of the Brahmaputra River using Volket ( mechnised soil extraction machines) in an unscientific manner. Due to this, various problems including river erosion and environmental destruction are happened.
After being informed about the matter, on the instructions of Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Nusrat Sultana, the Chilmari Upazila Administration and the leaders of Kurigram District Sammilita Sramik Karmachari Oikya Jote took further steps to stop illegal sand extraction and transportation. As a result, illegal sand extraction from the Brahmaputra River in Chilmari was completely stopped.
In this regard, Kurigram District Sammilita Sramik Karmachari Oikya Jote convener Aynal Haque and the Member Secretary Aminur Rahman said - We have taken measures to stop illegal sand transportation as per the directions we received from the district administration. After stopping sand transportation, the workers have become unemployed. The concerned administration should take necessary measures to arrange employments for those workers.
Chilmari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sabuj Kumar Basak said that regular operations are being conducted by the upazila administration. Currently, the army is playing an important role in Chilmari Upazila along with the police. As a result, it has been possible to stop illegal sand extraction from the Brahmaputra River.
Kurigram District BNP Convener Mostafizur Rahman said - the construction works are done using sand from the Brahmaputra River in Chilmari. Due to the stoppage of that sand supply, construction works in this district have come to a standstill. The district administration should take an alternative measure to overcome this complex situation.
Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Nusrat Sultana said - " There is a legal sand extraction site in the Teesta River in Rajarhat. But I have received complaints that the locals are not allowing the extraction of that sand.
Sand can be extracted from the legal sand deposit site. Apart from this, illegal sand cannot be extracted from anywhere else, not only from the Brahmaputra River in Chilmari."
Deputy Commissioner Nusrat Sultana also said, "The process of establishing legal sand excavation sites at six places is going on, including two points on the Brahmaputra River in Chilmari, is ongoing.
We are trying to launch the proposed seven sand excavation sites as soon as possible."
