Largest wildlife sanctuary under threat

EDITORIAL

Is there no alternative to constructing a road through a government-declared wildlife sanctuary? The very idea of the R&H Department building a road through one of the largest secondary forests in the country—a sanctuary for a variety of flora and fauna—is extremely illogical and incongruous considering the relevant government policy. A good part of more than 900 acres of Hazarikhil Wildlife Sanctuary in Chattogram, which hosts 200 species of birds and animals and shelters 250 different varieties of trees, stands to be completely destroyed if the plan comes to fruition.

We understand that the project to link Fatikchhari Upazila with the main Chattogram Highway has been passed by the ECNEC. But how that could be so when there are clear instructions for obtaining the clearance of the Department of Environment (DoE) and the Forest Department (before such a project can be implemented) is beyond comprehension. As it stands, the project does not have the clearance of the DoE or the forest department, and no environmental impact study has been done either.

We wonder why one of the oldest sanctuaries in the country has to be defiled to build a link road when there is already an existing one. And why can't the existing one be developed further to take on increased volume of traffic? Shorter routes may have long-term consequences, as this project certainly will, if given the green signal; a complete destruction of the forest will be a matter of time only. As it is, forested land in our country is dismally below the ideal ratio, and depleting rapidly. The only rational thing for the government to do is to put down the errant plan firmly.

• Courtesy: The Daily Star /Nov 11, 2018