Environment activists in Chattogram have called on authorities concerned not to cut hills for the sake of development as this type of development will cause destruction in future.
Chattogram is one of the most vulnerable cities regarding the impacts of climate change. The indiscriminate hill-cutting is destroying the city's environment, making it even more vulnerable to climate change, speakers said at a human chain programme organised to protest hill-cutting in the city by different government and private organisations on Thursday. They have also expressed their concern that there will be no hills after 10 years if hill-cutting is not stopped immediately. Environmentalist organisations Association for Land Reform and Development, Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (Bela) and Bhorer Alo organised the human chain in front of Chattogram Press Club.
A burn and plastic unit in Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) is essential but there is no need to cut hills. There are many open spaces on the campus where the burn unit can be constructed, said the speakers. They urged the Department of Environment (DoE), Chattogram City Corporation, Chattogram Development Authority and Chattogram District Administration to apply existing laws to stop hill cutting to save the city.
Moderated by Aliur Rahman, journalist and environment activist, the human chain was addressed by veteran woman leader Jesmin Sultana Paru, Professor Idris Ali, president of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA), SM Boktiar, general secretary of BAPA, and Munira Parvin Ruba, coordinator of the Bela Chattogram office, among others.
Recently, the CMCH authorities have cut a part of a hill in the Goachibagan area to construct a 150-bed burn and plastic surgery unit. The DoE has already served a notice to the hospital authorities for cutting the hill without obtaining an environment clearance certificate.
