After of gap of several months in the face of action by the local administration, some influential people have recently started sand lifting anew from Bukbhora haor in Sadar upazila of the district.
As a result, the ecological balance as well as the haor’s nearby vast track of land and a flood protection dyke has been facing extinction due to the ongoing misdeed.
Besides, 213 families who are vastly dependent on the water-body have passing days amid apprehension of being destroyed their sole source of livelihood.
It was learnt that the haor is located in Dewara union on 153 hectors of land touching Chandutia, Arichpur, Halsa, Isapur, Narangali and Motbaria villages.
Currently, some quarters named Ali, Rafee, Anu and Anis have started sand lifting from the haor with several swallow machines and it was being sold to others.
On the other hand, incessant trucks plying on the roads to carry the sand left the local communication on poor condition while some crop lands on the bank of the haor have already vanished as well.
One fisherman named Shital Biswas said he could not catch fish like before as the imprudent sand lifting caused an unusual depth in the haor.
When contacted, Ali said he had took lease some land for fish cultivation two years ago and started the sand lifting to make pond.
In a query whether he obtained any permission for the task, he answered negative, saying about sand tantamount to 10-12 trucks was being lifted daily from the spot.
Dewara union parishad Chairman Ashrafuzzaman Mito alleged that he failed to draw attention of the local administration despite repeated pleas although the sand lifting had earlier remained stopped for several months owing to a media uproar in this regard.
He continued that the influential people have been running the sand extraction by grabbing a land of 8-bigha on the baor. Ovimanno Biswas, former president of Bookbhora baor Fishers’ Samity, echoed the voice of the chairman.
Dr HM Jakir Hossain, associate professor of petroleum and mining department at Jessore University of Science and Technology, opined that the sand layer is loose and that is why the sides of a baor start breaking because of lifting sand from it.
The worst outcome of the unscrupulous act would appear within several months if the situation continues, the professor warned.
Despite repeated attempts to mobile phone set, Jessore Fishery officer Md Ramzan Ali could not be reached to make remark in this regard.
When asked, Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kamrul Arif acknowledged of receiving such type of allegation, saying he would conduct a drive on the scene within two days after getting green signal from the deputy commissioner.
The UNO went on that as it was a major misdeed, necessary preparation was required to run a drive there.
