The arable lands in the district have been lessening fast in the face of constructing unplanned buildings that even include some government offices.
Consequently, the locals are going to suffer the crisis of locally-produced crops and vegetables.
Besides the ecological balance and scenic beauty of green hilly district have reached on the verge of destruction owing to the ongoing harmful activities.
During a recent visit to different places in the district, the correspondent found that thousands of houses, shops, business centres as well as many government offices had been constructed.
Sources at Khagrachhari Statistics department said there were around 300,000 establishments in nine upazilas and above 100,000 holdings including some public offices were on 45,000-50,000 acres of cultivable land.
Khagrachhari Civil Society leader Sudarson Datta said the hilly district was gradually loosing its beauty as many houses were constructed on agricultural land in an unplanned way. He urged upon the local government to protect the lands by making a plan.
Ex-Khagrachhari Pahari Zila Council chairman Monindra Lal Tripura said many farmlands were disappeared because of the newly constructed structures.
The district administration should play a crucial role to save the agricultural lands, he opined.
Khagrachhari Agriculture Extension Deputy Director Tarun Kumar Battacharji said there were around 160,000-acre arable land in the district, but the figure has limited to just 100,000-acre currently as unplanned establishments were on the rise.
Since the crops volume was decreasing, the agriculture officers were trying best to increase the production in scientific way, Tarun added.
“We can not bar anybody to construct houses, orchards, business centres or any other establishments on their own land. We will try to create awareness about the concern among the locals,” the official went on.
