Forest woods are being burned in kilns by setting mobile sawmills in Subarnachar Upazila of Noakhali. In these brick kilns, there have been allegations of unconcern against the local administration despite the obvious looting of cropland soil along with environmental damage by cutting down trees.
It was known that there are a total of 17 brick kilns in Subarnachar upazila. Nine of them are located in Char Amanullah Union. There Ekata Brick Manufacturing (ABM) owned by Upazila Brick Owners Association President Abdur Rahman, Subhash Brick Manufacturing (SBM) owned by General Secretary Bablu Chandra Kahar, and Satta Brick Manufacturing owned by Md Ahsan Ullah Hashan were seen burning trees in a temporary sawmill.
Locals complained that the brick kilns are destroying the forest wood and looting the soil of the cropland. Despite seeing this, the administration officials are pretending not to see. Besides, the smoke of these brick kilns set in densely populated areas has become a liability in the surrounding houses. The plants in the garden are withering. The crops are burning.
A visit to Subhash Brick Manufacturing (SBM) shows that hundreds of mana tree pieces have been brought and kept around the kiln. It is cut into pieces by mobile sawmills and used for burning bricks in drum chimneys.
Bablu Chandra Kahar, the owner of Subhash Brick Manufacturing and general secretary of Upazila Bricklayers Association said, wood is used to light the fire due to coal shortage. But slowly we are trying to reduce wood burning.
Subhash Chandra Saha, the owner of SBM said, we have been doing business with the permission of the Department of Environment. But when asked to show it, he showed a permit issued by the Department of Environment dated December 1, 2022.
It was known that 'Ekata Brick Manufacturing' (ABM), owned by Abdur Rahman, President of the Upazila Brick Owners Association. Hundreds of pine trees were seen being cut and burned in sawmills there too.
Mihir Lal Sardar, Deputy Director of Noakhali Environment Department, said, "Our operation is going on in the brick kilns." The campaign will continue in the future. Divisional Forest Officer Abu Yusuf said, I saw the mobile sawmill for the first time. Action will be taken by raiding this matter.
Deputy Commissioner Dewan Mahbubur Rahman said that all the concerned departments, including the Forest Department and Environment Department, have been instructed to take action regarding the complaint.
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