Two local Union Parishad (UP) members have set up a factory making CC blocks deep in the forest of the Garo Hills in Nalitabari, Sherpur. The blocks, made from sand and stone lifted illegally from the area, which is known as an elephant sanctuary, are being sold in the district and elsewhere. The forest and nature are being damaged and wildlife habitat is under threat.

On a visit, the factory was found at a spot called 'Konabari Borokhol', on the India border in West Samashchura village, No 1 Poragaon union of the upazila. Because wild elephants roam freely there, people do not usually go to this remote area. Taking advantage of this, the two local UP members, Omar Faruk and Nabi Hossain, are lifting sand, gravel and single stones illegally from the Ranjana waterfall and making CC blocks on a large scale.

Local people allege that many are carrying out various misdeeds in the Garo Hills using the name of a political party, and that anyone who protests is harassed by a mob. They say these operators earlier formed a mob and stopped the motorcade of Environment Adviser Rezwana Chowdhury in these hills, and that unless they are reined in they will finish off the hills.

They said that because the sand quarries on the two rivers flowing through Nalitabari are closed, lifting and transporting sand locally is completely banned. So the two UP members, Nabi Hossain and Omar Faruk, found a new way to sell sand and stone by making CC blocks deep in the hills. They are selling the blocks to contracting firms in the district and other areas.

The accused UP member, Md Omar Faruk, told the media he had made the CC blocks to repair the bank of his own pond by laying blocks there. "If this is illegal now, there is nothing to be done; whatever happens will happen," he said.

He gave no answer when asked why so many blocks were being made to repair a pond bank, or whether they were being made for business.

Mehedi Hasan Lizan, joint convener in Sherpur of Save the Wildlife and Nature (SWAN), said a block factory deep in the Garo Hills means forest land is being grabbed, and the noise of vehicles and stone-crushing machines is causing serious problems for the birds, animals and other creatures there. If this continues, the animals of the area will move elsewhere, he said.

Md Kawsar Ahmed, forest beat officer of the forest department's Madhutila forest range, said: "Our people rarely go to the place where the factory has been set up, so we were not aware of it before. After getting the information we visited the site. All CC block-making activity has been stopped and all the equipment for making the blocks has been seized. Legal action is under way."

Nalitabari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Rezwana Afrin said she had learned initially that they were making the blocks on their own land with sand and stone lifted earlier. Whether this is lawful or illegal will be looked into, and necessary action taken after that, she said.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.