Our Correspondent :
A project was undertaken to set up a solar panel plant on 183.82 acres of land out of 1,019 hectares of land in Baishpukur mouza of Khalisha Chapani union of Dimla upazila in Nilphamari. The project will be implemented by Norwegian-based solar panel company Sketek Solar. As the news spread, a number of land brokers in the area went to the field to sell the fertile land of these crops. They tempted the landowners and forced them to sell the land. They have already purchased about one and a half acres of land. 65 families have been living on these lands for ages. Every house in the area has electric connection of Palli Bidyut Samiti.
Dimla Upazila’s then executive officer Rezaul Karim submitted a report on March 23, 2017 to the convener of the renewable fuel branch of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources. In the report submitted, he said, 183.82 acres of land under the project has fallen completely as kashaban and sandy, which is used as a field. But these lands are crop lands; there is no existence of field.
Kazi Nurul Amin, president of the Manohara Bill Protection Prevention Committee, said in a complaint filed with the Nilphamari Deputy Commissioner on February 6, 2020 that 1,019 hectares of land in Baishpukur mouza is fertile. The main crops grown in these lands are Aman, Iri, boro, maize, jute, wheat, mustard, potato, onion, garlic and various other vegetables, which is the only source of livelihood for these families.
Rabiul Islam, son of Nurul Haque of Baishpukur area of Dimla, Osman Ali, son of Zahinur Rahman Chakmal Hossain, son of Aftar Hossain, Safia Rahman, son of Akbar Ali and many others said that there was no similarity between the investigation reports submitted by the former Executive Officer of Dimla upazila.
They also said that we have a homestead on these lands. We make a living by cultivating land. If solar panel plants are built on these lands, we will become homeless. There will be no recourse to survive and the day will be spent in starvation. We may have to choose a disgusting profession like begging to survive. In this regard, Nilphamari Deputy Commissioner Md. Hafizur Rahman Chowdhury said, ‘I visited the project area on the spot. No reality was found with the report of the then executive officer of Dimla upazila Rezaul Karim. The matter has been reported to the higher authorities. However, no decision has been made yet. When asked, Nilphamari Deputy Commissioner Md. Hafizur Rahman again said the matter till now is in progress. No decision has been taken yet. Therefore, the local people and the Chairman of the Manohara Bill Protection Committee are requesting to re-inspect and give a real report of the project area.
