Chittagong district administration and Chittagong Metropolitan Police jointly started evicting people yesterday from their vulnerable hill slope homes in order to reduce possible landslide casualties.
In the wake of incessant downpours which have continued for a couple of days, the authorities have been demolishing the risky and illegal establishments from the hill slopes, said CMP and district administration sources.
After holding a meeting on June 17, the Chittagong district administration decided to conduct eviction drives at the risky hill slopes of Chittagong before Ramadan.
The residential infrastructures were being demolished since many of the evicted people had tried to return to their risky houses after their primary eviction, police said.
The district administration conducted drives in Matijharna, Batali Hill and Tankir Pahar areas in the city and demolished illegal slums and cut off power, gas and water connections to prevent the dwellers from returning to their risky houses.
SM Abdul Kader, additional deputy commissioner (Revenue) of Chittagong, led the drive where officials from the CMP, Chittagong City Corporation, Chittagong Wasa, Power Development Board, Public Works Department, Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited were also present.
Meanwhile, the slum dwellers alleged that the authorities did not issue prior eviction notices.
However, Abdul Kader denied the allegations, saying prior notices were served before the eviction drives were started.
Earlier, Mesbah Uddin, deputy of commissioner of Chittagong, informed that they had identified 30 risky hills, while 666 families were living in the most vulnerable spots on 11 of the 30 hills.