Gazi Anowarul Hoque :
The biodiversity of St Martin’s Island is under threat as illegal tourism infrastructure, uncontrolled fishing run by influential quarter ignoring environment laws, experts say.
High population density, huge illegal infrastructure built in an unplanned manner, destruction of mangrove plants and bushes, collection of sea shells and stones, unplanned development of tourism, visit by a huge number of tourists, and dumping of garbage were threatening the island, they said.
Unplanned infrastructure has mushroomed in the island to meet the onrush of tourists, they said.
Mujibur Rahman organizer of St Martin’s Hotel Owners Association said there were six large residential hotels, 100 cottage resorts and 50 restaurants on the island.
During the tourist season, 6,000 to 7,000 people visit the island every day. Mujibur said.
Three large sea trucks carry about 2,000 tourists to the island from Teknaf every day and many trawlers ply the route illegally carrying passengers.
Dr. Kamal Uddin Ahmed, Secretary of Environment and Forests Ministry told The New Nation on Monday “Although the ministry declared the Island as ECA in 1999 but we did not get effective result. We can through the policy but implementation must come from related departments.”
“We understand that we have to save ST Martin Island for ecological balance. Miscreants defy the law. Considering the importance of the Island a draft guideline has prepared where duties of related ministries are divided. It is expected that
good result will come by the policy guideline.” Nurul Amin, Chairman of St Martin’s Union Parishad said tourists do not know what the ECA is. The Island is verge on the ruin due to lack of public awareness and political intervention.
Assistant Director Shariful Islam of the Department of Environment in Cox’s Bazar said the island in not totally khas (demesne) land. This is an union parishad. Private and public both parties are owned it.
As a result, the island is facing a serious existential crisis and that a policy and coordinated management is required to save it and to protect the balance of its bio-diversity and special features, he added.
Environmentalists said the stock of bio-diversity in the island has almost been exhausted. It is separated from Shah Parir Dwip in Teknaf upazila of the mainland by 8km channel. Around 7,500 people live in the 8-square kilometre island.
A research by the DoE, with the assistance of the UNDP, mentions that the island has a number of eco-systems, coral rich areas, mangroves, lagoons and stony areas. The island is a safe haven to various species of fauna.
The beach of the island is also home to internationally endangered green turtles and olive turtles.
The presence of 153 species of sea weeds, 66 species of coral, 187 species of oysters, 240 species of fish, 120 species of birds, 29 species of reptiles and 29 species of mammals were recorded at the St Martin’s Island in 2010.
There were no newer statistics available.
People of the island said the tourists wander on the beach all night. They are noisy and they use fireworks and throw garbage everywhere.
Dr Anisuzzaman Khan, Chairperson of World Biodiversity said the island has lost its glory due to activities of the land grabbers and polluters. Fishing trawlers and large tourist vessels are damaging coral’s dynamics.
Large vessels have to be stopped from going there to save the island. The island should be declared protected and made off-limits to tourists. It should soon be declared as Marine Protected Area (MPA), he opined.
SM Atiqur Rahman, Researcher on marine resource exploration of Save Our Sea, a non-profit organization said that the public representative of Cox’s Bazar damaged ST Martin in various ways ignoring environment law.
The biodiversity of St Martin’s Island is under threat as illegal tourism infrastructure, uncontrolled fishing run by influential quarter ignoring environment laws, experts say.
High population density, huge illegal infrastructure built in an unplanned manner, destruction of mangrove plants and bushes, collection of sea shells and stones, unplanned development of tourism, visit by a huge number of tourists, and dumping of garbage were threatening the island, they said.
Unplanned infrastructure has mushroomed in the island to meet the onrush of tourists, they said.
Mujibur Rahman organizer of St Martin’s Hotel Owners Association said there were six large residential hotels, 100 cottage resorts and 50 restaurants on the island.
During the tourist season, 6,000 to 7,000 people visit the island every day. Mujibur said.
Three large sea trucks carry about 2,000 tourists to the island from Teknaf every day and many trawlers ply the route illegally carrying passengers.
Dr. Kamal Uddin Ahmed, Secretary of Environment and Forests Ministry told The New Nation on Monday “Although the ministry declared the Island as ECA in 1999 but we did not get effective result. We can through the policy but implementation must come from related departments.”
“We understand that we have to save ST Martin Island for ecological balance. Miscreants defy the law. Considering the importance of the Island a draft guideline has prepared where duties of related ministries are divided. It is expected that
good result will come by the policy guideline.” Nurul Amin, Chairman of St Martin’s Union Parishad said tourists do not know what the ECA is. The Island is verge on the ruin due to lack of public awareness and political intervention.
Assistant Director Shariful Islam of the Department of Environment in Cox’s Bazar said the island in not totally khas (demesne) land. This is an union parishad. Private and public both parties are owned it.
As a result, the island is facing a serious existential crisis and that a policy and coordinated management is required to save it and to protect the balance of its bio-diversity and special features, he added.
Environmentalists said the stock of bio-diversity in the island has almost been exhausted. It is separated from Shah Parir Dwip in Teknaf upazila of the mainland by 8km channel. Around 7,500 people live in the 8-square kilometre island.
A research by the DoE, with the assistance of the UNDP, mentions that the island has a number of eco-systems, coral rich areas, mangroves, lagoons and stony areas. The island is a safe haven to various species of fauna.
The beach of the island is also home to internationally endangered green turtles and olive turtles.
The presence of 153 species of sea weeds, 66 species of coral, 187 species of oysters, 240 species of fish, 120 species of birds, 29 species of reptiles and 29 species of mammals were recorded at the St Martin’s Island in 2010.
There were no newer statistics available.
People of the island said the tourists wander on the beach all night. They are noisy and they use fireworks and throw garbage everywhere.
Dr Anisuzzaman Khan, Chairperson of World Biodiversity said the island has lost its glory due to activities of the land grabbers and polluters. Fishing trawlers and large tourist vessels are damaging coral’s dynamics.
Large vessels have to be stopped from going there to save the island. The island should be declared protected and made off-limits to tourists. It should soon be declared as Marine Protected Area (MPA), he opined.
SM Atiqur Rahman, Researcher on marine resource exploration of Save Our Sea, a non-profit organization said that the public representative of Cox’s Bazar damaged ST Martin in various ways ignoring environment law.
