Dhaka: There is no complication with the ownership, yet lakhs of acres of forest land are illegally occupied. Despite repeated instructions, all those lands are not being recovered. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has urged the government to take effective action against the grabbed land. The committee meeting has recommended social involvement in the conservation of one crore saplings planted in Mujib Year.
Saber Hossain Chowdhury presided over the meeting held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Monday (August 10) afternoon. Deputy Minister of Environment Habibun Nahar, a member of the committee at the meeting Rezaul Karim Bablu MP and Khodeja Nasrin Akhter Hossain MP and concerned officials were present.
After the meeting, committee chairman Saber Hossain Chowdhury told reporters that more than one lakh acres of forest land has been illegally grabbed. This one lakh is owned by government in documents. Apart from this, a lot of forest land is also grabbed. The ministry has been asked to submit a detailed report in this regard. We want to see how many notices have been issued for eviction of occupants. What steps have been taken by the concerned authorities? We also want to evaluate the work of the lawyers involved in this work.
In reply to a question, Saber Hossain Chowdhury said that many lands were owned by the forest department in CS Khatian. It was later handed over to the DC office in the SA ledger. The DC office has leased them again in various ways. These have to be brought back. That is why the legal process has been asked. According to committee sources, the parliamentary committee has recommended social involvement in the program of planting one crore saplings across the country on the occasion of Mujib Year.
According to a report given by the ministry to the parliamentary committee in this regard, 38 lakh 51 thousand 453 saplings have been planted across the country till July 31. Program of planting one crore saplings have been taken up across the country at the initiative of the ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. The rest saplings will be planted by September 15.
In this regard, the chairman of the committee said, we have to think about the future of these saplings. The committee said GIS mapping should assess what type of trees have been planted in an area. The economic aspect of it also needs to be evaluated. He added that various social organizations have been asked to be involved in the protection of these trees. At the same time teachers from different universities can be included in this work. Then effective steps will be taken to protect the trees. At the same time the economic benefit of this tree has to be calculated.
According to committee sources, the parliamentary committee has recommended organizing 'Environmental Research Fair' every year to involve various organizations and individuals in research on the environment. Consideration will be given to whether the fair can be held in November-December.
It was decided to send a condolence message to the family members of Yusuf Uddin, working as forester in Cox’s Bazaar on his untimely death. Besides, it was recommended to increase the compensation and risk allowance of the employees injured and killed by the bandits in different places including Sundarbans, speedy payment of allowance, list of accused, supervision of cases, duration of punishment etc.