C T Online Desk: Hill management body asks utility service providers.
A high-powered hill management committee has instructed the utility service providing authorities to disconnect illegal connections from unauthorised settlements at hill pockets in Chattogram and send reports within 15 days from the date of issuance of the directive.
The committee issued the directive at its 28th meeting chaired by its president and Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Md Tofael Islam at Chattogram Circuit House on Thursday afternoon.
Additional Divisional Commissioner Anwar Pasha, Chattogram Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner Abdul Mannan Mian, Chattogram Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abul Bashar Mohammad Fakhruzzaman and representatives of concerned government agencies took part.
The Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of three hill districts and Cox’s Bazar also participated through online platform.
The Chattogram divisional commissioner said that they have heightened the preparatory activities, including massive publicity through miking, to make people aware about the issue so that they evacuate from the risky foothills after the forecast of landslides due to heavy rainfall in different parts of the division.
He asked the Chattogram Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (CWASA), Power Development Board (PDB) and Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL) authorities to disconnect the illegal water, power and gas connections from illegal settlement developed at risky hill pockets in Chattogram and send progress reports within 15 days of issuance of the directive.
He asked all concerned to remain alert to avert casualty in rain-induced wall collapse in different areas. Putting up their efforts to nab the people behind development of the illegal settlements, Tofael stated that the activities will continue throughout the year to discourage people to live at the risky spots.
Asked about rehabilitation of the distressed people, Tofael said the government has been providing houses with lands to homeless people under its Ashrayan Project across the country.
“The people living risking lives at hill pockets can get the benefits from the project,” he added. The Chattogram DC informed that they have freed some 10 acres of hilly lands, erected cautionary signboards there and carried out a total of 51 drives in the past one year.
He also informed that they started miking and evacuation of people from Wednesday after the forecast of heavy rainfall and landslides issued.
“A number of shelter centres having facilities for food and drinking water were opened so that the people can stay there during the inclement weather,” he said.
Earlier, Chattogram district administration identified some 6,558 families living most vulnerably at risky foothills and pockets of 26 hills in the port city and its suburbs.
Of the hills, 16 are owned by different government agencies, while the rest 10 are owned by individuals. The hill management committee formed on 16 July, 2008, after the devastating landslide in 2007 made a number of recommendations like rehabilitating vulnerable families at safer places, providing them with financial assistance, evacuation by hill owners, disconnecting illegal power, gas and water supply lines, filing criminal cases against the occupants and protecting the hills through eviction, afforestation and fencing.
The committee at its 27th meeting held on 8 August of the previous year also decided to continue eviction drives at risky hills, preparing list of those rented houses for illegal settlement, taking the recovered hill under control through afforestation and fencing, disconnecting the utility services and stopping new settlements, and scrutinising the ownership before giving new connection.
