Ahsanul Amin George, Khulna :
Allegation of digging soil from Wapda embankment adjacent to the river ‘Atai’ at Hazigram village in Digholia upazila of Khulna district was brought against a brick kiln named ‘Sun Bricks’.
Due to digging soil from the embankment by the brick field, the Wapda embankment might be collapsed and as such many a villages might be flooded, apprehended the people of the locality.
It is mentionable in this connection that Taka 70 thousands were fined to the owner of the brick field Parvez Aktar by a mobile court launching a drive recently for proving the allegation of using soil by digging from the Khas land of the Water Development Board (WDB).At the same time, the court also directed fill the dug place within 20 days. But this order of the court was not yet abode by the authorities, sources said.
Sources of the Land office said, ‘Sun Bricks’, the above-mentioned brick kiln authorities has been making bricks by digging soil from the Wapda embankment since the last some years which is nothing but the violation of law. Being informed the matter, the WDB authorities (Khulna Branch-1) serve an urgent notice to the owner of the brick field recently which is signed by the sub-assistant Engineer Md. Tariqul Islam. In the notice it is directed to stop digging soil from the embankment and to fill soil at the places where it was dug. Besides, on April 26,2017, the authorities of WDB requested the concerned police station to take lawful steps against the authorities of the brick field. On the other hand, the local people submitted a mass petition to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) on April 16,2017.
Being informed all the allegations, a mobile court led by assistant commissioner of land (AC, land) Bishnupada Pal was conducted in the brick-field on April 30, 2017 while the owner was fined taka 70 thousands and directed to fill the dug places within 20 days. But the authorities of the brick kiln did not pay any heed to the court’s order still.
Local people apprehended that the embankment might be collapsed due to frequent soil-digging by the authorities of the brick field. As such the local people submitted another allegation to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) on May 21,2017 demanding exemplary punishment to the authorities of the brick kiln.
Abeda Sultana, a female member said, Nobody should dig soil from the embankment for any purposes, it is illegal and unlawful, so far as I think.
Gazi Ziaur Rahman, UP chairman said, for the greater interest of the villagers, the brick field should be refrain from digging soil from the embankment, we hope that the authorities of the brick field will consider the matter for the interest of the local people.
Bishnupada Pal, AC, land of Digholia upazila said, I have heard the matter of not filling up of the dug places by the authorities of the brick field.
Necessary lawful steps will be taken later on after discussing the matter with the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO).
Parvez Aktar, owner of the brick kiln said, the dug places will be filled up automatically by falling silt, so it is not necessary to fill the dug places now, he added.
It is mentionable in this connection that most of the brick kilns of Khulna district have been devouring wood violating environmental law. There are 142 brick fields at nine upazila areas of Khulna district. Among them 11 have no release letters of the Environment directorate and 8 brick kilns are running with old chimneys, sources said.
It is alleged that some influentials have built brick fields where wood and lead have been being burnt violating the environmental law and as such the environment is polluting alarmingly.
According to the environmental law, brick kilns must be built beyond at least three kilometers away from the locality. But it is found that moist of the brick kilns were built upon crop lands at all nine upazila areas of Khulna district. Some influential persons have built brick fields by grabbing lands beside the rivers.
