The Department of Environment (DoE) has fined two individuals Tk15.40 lakh in total for razing hills in the city.
Of the errant individuals, Md Shahjahan was fined Tk14 lakh while Monowara Begum (Maya) was fined Tk1.40 lakh.
DoE Director (Chittagong Metro) Mohammad Nurullah Noori slapped the fines on them after a hearing at his office on Tuesday.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, DoE Deputy Director Mia Mahmudul Hoque said that a DoE team led by Senior Chemist Jannatul Ferdous visited Moti Jhorna area under Khulshi police station in the city on October 22.
“During the visit, the DoE team found that Md Shahajahan had razed 14,000 sqft of hills for constructing a structure. Besides, Monowara Begum had constructed a three-storied building by levelling hills. Later, they were summoned and fines amounting to Tk15.40 lakh in total were slapped on them for illegally flattening hills,” the DoE deputy director said.
Under 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 the Building Construction Rules 1996, clearance certificates must be obtained from the Department of Environment for razing or cutting 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 basically 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.
