The fertility of land reduces by cutting ‘top soil’ in violation of environmental laws
Bangladesh News: In Habiganj’s Nabiganj Upazila, multiple circles are cutting and selling the fertile topsoil of the cropland in violation of environmental law. In addition to destroying the land’s fertility, the environment’s balance threatens.
According to the Environment Act, it is a crime to cut agricultural land. Therefore, the conscious community has demanded administration involvement in this regard.
People cutting soil with excavators in more than half a hundred places, including such as Parkul, Syedpur of Aushkandi Union, Bajkashara, Haibatpur, Sultanpur, Ratanpur, Kurshi, of Kurshi Union, Rustampur, Bashdor, Bausa, Rifatpur of Debpara Union, Sataihal of Ghaznaipur Union and Khagawra of Paniumda Union.
These soils use in brick kilns. Besides making bricks, the soil of the agricultural land has been filled on the opposite side of Bausa Bazar, Bharpur, and the other places of Bausa Union.
A local person named Ashraful said, “We have informed the administration about the illegal cutting of soil from agricultural land. However, the administration does not take any action in this regard.
Locals said that the Environmental Protection Act prohibits cutting naturally created hills or changing the class by cutting the agricultural land’s top soil or surface soil. Although these two laws are openly violated in the mentioned places of Nabiganj, action has yet to take.
In this regard, AKM Maksudul Alam, Upazila Agriculture Officer, said, ”The crop yield is lower than expected due to cutting the agricultural land’s topsoil. If this soil cutting continues, the land will become unfit for cultivation in the future.”
Imran Shahriar, Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) of Nabiganj, said, ”Action will take after an inquiry in this regard.”
