The Department of Environment (DoE) fined a realtor Tk2 lakh for razing 1000sqft of hills in Chittagong.
The errant realtor was identified as Sanmar Properties Ltd.
DoE Director (Chittagong Metro) Mohammad Nurullah Noori slapped the fine after a hearing at his office on Wednesday.
A DoE team led by its Deputy Director Mia Mahmudul Hoque visited the spot at the city’s Arefin Nagar area on October 19.
During the visit, the DoE team found evidence of flattening hills for a housing project “Sanmar Green Park”.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, DoE Deputy Director Mia Mahmudul Hoque said that the errant real estate company was asked to pay the fine within seven days.
As per the Environment Conservation (Amendment) Act 2010, hill cutting is a cognizable offence and no government, semi-government, or autonomous organization is allowed to cut or raze hills without prior permission from the authorities concerned.
Under the terms of Building Construction Rules 1996, clearance certificates must be obtained from the Department of Environment to raze or cut any hill.
According to urban planners, hills are mainly razed for building construction, developing residential areas and road networks.
The hills of the country are composed of unconsolidated sedimentary rocks such as sandstone, siltstone, shale and conglomerate.
The hills of the port city were formed in the early Cenozoic Era.