Thirteen recommendations to protect the environment of St. Martin’s Island
Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, has given strict instructions to save St. Martin in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar.
As part of this, the Prime Minister’s office implements 13 recommendations, including an action plan for developing the Island’s environment, biodiversity, and ecotourism.
The 13 recommendations of the Prime Minister’s Office are:
- Stop building and expanding all kinds of infrastructure in St. Martin.
- Maintaining hygiene and waste management.
- Sewerage management in shops, hotels and motels.
- Prevent noise and air pollution to maintain peace and tranquillity of the Island.
- Determining zoning and protected areas of the Island, including agricultural land and habitat of local people.
- Determining capacity by listing existing hotels, motels and rest houses.
- Fix traffic management on the Island.
- Planting tens of thousands of mangroves and trees to protect the Island from storms and disasters.
- formulate land use policy on the Island.
- Jetty management.
- Tourist ship transport.
- Maintain law and order.
- Construction of ecological dwellings for local people.
It instructed Subordinate agencies such as the Department of Environment, Cox’s Bazar Development Authority, District Police, BIWTA, Department of Fisheries, Bangladesh Tourism Board, Coast Guard, District and Upazila Parishads to fulfill their respective responsibilities expeditiously.
The Prime Minister’s Office will monitor the implementation of these activities round the clock. Earlier, a meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s Office to defend St. Martin.
Various agencies, including the deputy commissioner, were instructed to implement 13 possible recommendations for the Island’s protection. Additional Deputy Commissioner Nasim Ahmed was present at the meeting.
Md. Nasim Ahmed said St. Martin has a lot of biodiversities. The Island is significant for geographical reasons. The Island is at high risk for various reasons, including building construction. The government wants St. Martin under good management.
To that end, a meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office last month decided to implement several recommendations. They also consult with the partners of St Martin’s partners to implement all suggestions. In addition, the government’s master plan for the Island, including ecotourism, is being implemented.
Mujibur Rahman, UP Chairman, St. Martin’s, said, “St. Martin’s people will help implement the Prime Minister’s directives. Besides, it is essential to keep in mind the issue of income generation of the local people.
We also want no new building here. Because the island doesn’t survive, where will the inhabitants be? ‘ Residents of the Island have recently made many recommendations to the deputy commissioner, urging the government to include them in the final policy.
In this regard, Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Parvez Chowdhury said work is underway to implement the decision of the meeting with the Prime Minister’s Office on St. Martin.
In particular, regular monitoring is ongoing to construct no new building. In addition, all the organizations there have started working to protect St. Martin.
