Sylhet Bureau :
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, said, “Strict legal action will be taken against those who are illegally mining the people’s wealth, stone.” She said that the police and district administration will conduct a drive against those involved in this matter. Briefing reporters at the Sylhet Circuit House this afternoon, she said that the government is losing more revenue from stone quarries due to the movement of overweight trucks. Only 6 percent of the stone used in the country comes from domestic sources. To meet this small need, our priceless natural resources are being destroyed.
Earlier, she discussed environmental protection, forest conservation and river and water management in the Sylhet region in a meeting with officials of the Department of Environment, Forest Division, Water Development Board and other relevant departments.
The Environment Advisor said, “We have to work together to protect the unique natural diversity of Sylhet. He emphasized on coordination and information exchange between departments in protecting rivers and haors, managing excavated sand, and preserving hills and dunes. He instructed to ban single-use plastic in government offices and to install signboards to say ‘no’ to cutting hills and dunes. He instructed the Water Development Board and Forest Department officials to cut Akashmani trees to control floods and plant local species of trees. At the same time, he urged to stop supplying electricity to illegal stone crushing machines.
Advisor to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan delivered a directional speech. He said that wherever agricultural land is fallow, the fallow lands should be planned for cultivation. Also present at the meeting were Secretary of the Energy and Mineral Resources Department Md. Saiful Islam, Divisional Commissioner of Sylhet Khan Md. Reza-un-Nabi, Deputy Commissioner Md. Sher Mahbub Murad, Divisional Forest Officer Md. Humayun Kabir and Director of the Department of Environment Sylhet Ferdous Anwar.
Earlier, the two advisors visited different areas of Jaflong by boat and exchanged views on eco-tourism development plans. They participated in tree plantation programs at the Jaflong Stone Museum and Haripur Rest House.
