S.A.Shofiee, Sylhet :
People still live on Sylhet hill slopes that are prone to landslides. The authorities have identified 20 risky hills in the Sylhet city and have asked the inhabitants to move away. In June, there was a token eviction drive but nothing has been done since. With the monsoon in full swing, it is a disaster waiting to happen. With all indications of this year’s monsoon lingering, people live at the foot and on the slopes of hills in Sylhet city amid high risk of landslides.
The authorities concerned allegedly are not doing much to relocate the people living in places vulnerable to landslides.
Landslides triggered by heavy rains in the city claimed at least 40 Wounded in the last seven days. The disasters took place in Baluchar, Khadimpara,khadimnogor, Islampur, Mejortila, Mongli par, Howladar para, Jalalia Housing areas.
Hills in these areas are constituted of flaky soil and vulnerable to heavy rainfall if the surface is not covered with vegetation, say environmentalists who also hold illegal cutting of hills responsible for such disasters.
To prevent further loss of lives, Shafa, a resident of Khadim, says she lived there because the rent was cheap. She pays Tk 1,000 a month for a room.
Locals allege most of those who claim ownership of hills have no valid documents of possession. Yet they can rent out such vulnerable makeshift structures because of their political clout or ties with government officials.
Instead of carrying out any more eviction drive this year, the committee now plans to use loudspeakers to ask the remaining dwellers to leave the risky areas.
Polythene bags clogging up city’s drains
As the arrival of monsoon brings with it more frequent occurrences of water stagnation in Sylhet city, authorities concerned fail to address the potential of polythene bags to inflict further damage to the existing crisis.
Although polythene bags were banned in the country in 2002, little enforcement of the restriction has been seen so far.
the discarded bags clog up the sewers and affect the drainage system, resulting in water stagnation in places where the problem could have been avoided.
Despite the dangers, it is the low production cost that makes the plastic bags more common at grocery stores and more acceptable to customers.
Abdul Bari, a consumer at Kazir Bazar who was using a polythene bag to carry the mangoes he just bought, admitted that he was aware about the ban on plastic bags, but could not refuse it when the shopkeeper supplied it.
Anwar Hossain, a shopkeeper at Bondor Bazar, said there was no alternative, environment-friendly or cost-effective shopping bags available.
He added that most customers did not carry any reusable bags and asked for polythene bags that could be discarded easily.
People still live on Sylhet hill slopes that are prone to landslides. The authorities have identified 20 risky hills in the Sylhet city and have asked the inhabitants to move away. In June, there was a token eviction drive but nothing has been done since. With the monsoon in full swing, it is a disaster waiting to happen. With all indications of this year’s monsoon lingering, people live at the foot and on the slopes of hills in Sylhet city amid high risk of landslides.
The authorities concerned allegedly are not doing much to relocate the people living in places vulnerable to landslides.
Landslides triggered by heavy rains in the city claimed at least 40 Wounded in the last seven days. The disasters took place in Baluchar, Khadimpara,khadimnogor, Islampur, Mejortila, Mongli par, Howladar para, Jalalia Housing areas.
Hills in these areas are constituted of flaky soil and vulnerable to heavy rainfall if the surface is not covered with vegetation, say environmentalists who also hold illegal cutting of hills responsible for such disasters.
To prevent further loss of lives, Shafa, a resident of Khadim, says she lived there because the rent was cheap. She pays Tk 1,000 a month for a room.
Locals allege most of those who claim ownership of hills have no valid documents of possession. Yet they can rent out such vulnerable makeshift structures because of their political clout or ties with government officials.
Instead of carrying out any more eviction drive this year, the committee now plans to use loudspeakers to ask the remaining dwellers to leave the risky areas.
Polythene bags clogging up city’s drains
As the arrival of monsoon brings with it more frequent occurrences of water stagnation in Sylhet city, authorities concerned fail to address the potential of polythene bags to inflict further damage to the existing crisis.
Although polythene bags were banned in the country in 2002, little enforcement of the restriction has been seen so far.
the discarded bags clog up the sewers and affect the drainage system, resulting in water stagnation in places where the problem could have been avoided.
Despite the dangers, it is the low production cost that makes the plastic bags more common at grocery stores and more acceptable to customers.
Abdul Bari, a consumer at Kazir Bazar who was using a polythene bag to carry the mangoes he just bought, admitted that he was aware about the ban on plastic bags, but could not refuse it when the shopkeeper supplied it.
Anwar Hossain, a shopkeeper at Bondor Bazar, said there was no alternative, environment-friendly or cost-effective shopping bags available.
He added that most customers did not carry any reusable bags and asked for polythene bags that could be discarded easily.
