Khagrachhari forests live below risk from unlawful cassava farming, as no motion has been taken despite the District Atmosphere and Wooded discipline Trend Committee directing the UNOs of Matiranga and Manikchhari to investigate four months ago.
At a gathering on 10 August, the committee issued the directive and asked for detailed experiences on the challenge. On the opposite hand, no experiences were submitted but and unlawful farming continues to spread unchecked.
The committee hasten adopted the e-newsletter of a story in The Industry Commonplace, “CHT forests being razed for cassava farming, harming biodiversity”, printed by The Industry Commonplace on 20 April.
Mahfuz Ahmed Russel, founder of Pittachhara Wooded discipline and Biodiversity Conservation Initiative, expressed narrate over the voice of being inactive. He accused native brokers, allegedly backed by a chemical company, of aggressively promoting cassava farming by convincing locals to hire land.
“Right here is the harvesting season for cassava, and land preparation for the next cycle will soon originate,” he acknowledged. “Without enforcement by authorities agencies, the spread of cassava cultivation will proceed unchecked.”
Russel warned that the quick spread of cassava cultivation in the CHT is alarming. “If the authorities takes no motion, within the next five years forests would possibly well presumably fade entirely,” he added. “This discover is harming our atmosphere, biodiversity and flowers and fauna, extra worsening the climate disaster.”
Personal organisations have reportedly cleared 600 acres of forest in Matiranga’s Belchhari union and 1,000 acres of hilly land in Manikchhari upazila to grow cassava.
This enormous-scale deforestation and habitat destruction have raised concerns amongst conservationists, as about 80% of the hill tract land is believed about more ethical for forestry than farming, in accordance to the Khagrachhari Wooded discipline Division.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser for the Ministry of Atmosphere, Wooded discipline and Local weather Alternate, informed TBS that instructions had been issued on taking motion towards cassava farming in the CHT, which is harming the atmosphere and biodiversity.
Md Sahiduzzaman, deputy commissioner of Khagrachhari, admitted delays in receiving investigation experiences, pinning the blame on adjustments in administration. “The old UNOs were transferred, and the newly appointed ones are but to submit the desired critical functions,” he acknowledged.
Matiranga UNO Daisy Chakrabarty informed TBS that he’s attentive to the challenge nonetheless has now not been in an arena to seek the recommendation of with the farming effect due to work stress. “I will seek the recommendation of with the effect soon and file a story.”
Manikchhari UNO Tahmina Afroz Bhuiyan acknowledged, “I unprejudiced unprejudiced as of late joined this upazila and am now not attentive to any orders to file a story on cassava farming.”
She added, “I will test with the office to seek data from if such an impart exists.”
The District Atmosphere and Wooded discipline Trend Committee, led by the deputy commissioner, wired the need for a joint resolution by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Atmosphere, Forests and Local weather Alternate, and native authorities to assess the long-term impact of cassava farming.
Conservationists point out promoting the planting of native bushes to present protection to biodiversity and support sustainable economic increase in the voice.
