Committee in Chittagong to identify hills in risk of landslide

The Chittagong divisional administration has formed a committee to identify landslide-prone areas in the hills ahead of the monsoon.

The 15-member committee, formed on Thursday with Additional Deputy Commissioner SM Abdul Qader in charge, will also recommend ways to evacuate people at risk.

The committee, created in the 12th meeting of the hill management committee, includes government and non-government agency representatives.

Chittagong Divisional Commissioner Md Abdullah, who is also the president of the hill management committee, said the body would start work from Friday.

“The administration will shift people from the risky areas if necessary,” he said.

The commissioner said they would be housed in disaster shelters.

The hill management committee was formed in 2007 after a terrible landslide, caused by days of torrential rain, killed 127 people in Chittagong city and surrounding areas.

The committee took several decisions but failed to halt landslides and resultant deaths.

Thirteen Chittagong hills are considered vulnerable, with most having people living on slopes in illegal shanties. The hills are under various government agencies including the railway, the city corporation and the WASA.

It is alleged that the influential among the local people illegally fell trees on these hills to build shanties that are rented out.

In reply to a query, Md Abdullah said action would also be taken against such people.

Chittagong Department of Environment Director Zafar Alam said eviction was not a perfect solution.

“We’ll have to plant trees in the empty spaces after evicting people from the hills. Otherwise, they will return there.”

The first meeting of the committee will be held in the first week of June.