Purbachal town project destroying environment'

Leaders of different organisations, who work for the protection of the environment, have accused Rajuk of damaging the environment in the name of building the Purbachal New City Project.   Visiting the site Purbachal Phase-2 yesterday, the environmentalists observed that implementation of the project caused destruction of local ecology, arable land, plants etc, particularly in Borokau and Parabartha areas under Kaliganj in Gazipur.   The environmentalists including, Abu Naser Khan, chairman of Paribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba), Abu Sayeed Ahmed, president of Bangladesh Architecture Institution (BAI), JK Baral, general secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa), Syed Mahbubul Alam, former director of Work for Better Bangladesh (WBB), visited the project venue in the afternoon.   Abu Naser Khan said: "Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipaksha made the whole area (Borokau and Parabartha) as barren land by cutting different types of fruit-bearing trees and also filling in grain land and wetland."   Naser alleged that the government-run Rajuk also continuously was carrying their anti-environment activities violating environment and water laws and also dishonoured the High Court's order.   While talking to the visiting team, Chairman of Uttar Khan union parishad Md Kamal Uddin said the project has had an adverse impact on the environment.   "We urge Rajuk to cancel second phase of the Purbachal Project for the welfare of environment and local poor community," he said.   Moreover, the local people also urged the government to stop the project immediately.   Raij Uddin, 80, said: "I have lost all of my assets that are almost 10 bighas of land due to acquired of land by the Rajuk for Purbachal New City."   "There were various fruit trees and deep vegetation in the area and huge number of monkey had in the deep forest. But now all of these biodiversity has been destroyed by Rajuk's Purbachal City," he said.   Earlier, in April in this year, the High Court directed ordered Rajuk not to cut any tree in its Purbachal housing project area till further notice.   The court passed the order after hearing a petition which claimed that Rajuk has been chopping trees from some areas at Kaliganj for the housing project although it has no environment clearance from the Department of Environment.   However, the Rajuk authority has been continuously filing up wetland and cutting vegetation, violating the HC order.   Moreover, lastly on August 1, the High Court directed Rajuk to stop land development or monetary work for a Purbachal housing project in Gazipur until it obtains environmental clearance.   The court passed the order after responding to a writ petition jointly filed by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers' Association, and six other rights groups.