Chittagong District Administration in the backdrop of heavy showers today started eviction of the residents of 800 unauthorized makeshift houses from the hillocks of nine risky hills in the city on Sunday.
The eviction team also slashed the supply of electricity and water to the houses during the drive during heavy rain to avert possible loss of lives from landslides from Motizorna, Bijoynagar Zeel, Beltoligona and Battali hill areas.
Five Assistant Commissioners led by Deputy Commissioner Abul Bashar Mohammad Fakruzaman conducted the eviction drive in the slopes of three different risky hills in the city around 10am.
Two shelter centres were opened in different areas of the city in this regard.
The district administration along with the Department of Environment (DoE), Wasa representatives, police personnel, representatives of Chittagong City Corporation, Chittagong Development Authority, Bangladesh Railway, Fire Service and Power departments and other concerned departments started the drive around 10 am, Touhidul Islam, NDC and executive magistrate of Chittagong m district administration said on Sunday.
The district administration came up with the move in order to avert possible loss of lives from landslides in the monsoon as the soil on the hills become softer and may trigger a landslide, posing threat to the lives of the poor people dwelling on those risky hills pockets during the rainy season.
Touhidul Islam, after the eviction drive, told journalists that despite several notices served from the district administration, the families were still living in the hills in a very dangerous state.
The authorities would gradually evict all families living in different risky hills in the city, he added.
Patenga Meteorological office measured 306 mm of record rainfall during the last 24 hours ending 6pm on Sunday and 698.7 mm of record rainfall in the last five days causing serious disruptions to civic life, port and businesses activities in the city.
