Power lines of 300 stone crushing units disconnected in Sylhet

In a bid to stop illegal extraction and trade of stones and sand from various sites in Sylhet district, law enforcers disconnected electricity lines of 150 stone crushing units at Jafflong in the last two days.

With this, about 300 crusher machines' electric lines have been disconnected since June 21 by the task force of executive magistrate, PDB, the department of environment, police, BGB and forest department.

However, there are about 1,000 stone crushing machines in operation in the district illegally.

The drive would continue against the illegal crushers, run by individuals or group at the cost of environment, officials said. The decision for special drive against the illegal stone crushers started after Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Energy Adviser Mohammad Fauzul Kabir Khan during their visit to the Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) Jafflong on June 14 said none of the stone quarries in Sylhet including the Jafflong ones would be leased any more for stone extraction in future for stopping the environmental degradation.

The energy advisor then asked the officials for snapping the electricity connections of stone crusher units in the district immediately. The authorities then launched the special drive in line with the advisers' directive after June 16.

Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Mohammad Sher Mahbub Murad said the task force disconnected electricity lines and seized electric meters also.Sources informed that the government stopped stone and sand extraction from quarries in February 2020 in line with a High Court order. Since then the ruling Awami League men got involved in illegal extraction of stone and sand during night time. But after the August 5 regime changeover, various groups including some from BNP and its front organisations started illegal stone extraction almost openly at all the quarries. Accordingly the crushing units also started their job. Contacted, Assistant Director at the divisional office of Environment Badrul Huda said nine cases were filed against 226 people for looting stones from various sites including Sadapathar, Jafflong, Bholaganj, Bisnakandi and others since August 5.

Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) Sylhet regional coordinator Shah Shaheda told this correspondent, "Things were done in the past albeit secretly, but the situation got reversed after August 5. However, the authorities now launching drives against the illegal crushers. But stopping extraction is still a challenging job with political groups controlling the quarries."

She said things need to be dealt with seriously.

Meanwhile, various organisations on Wednesday held a rally at the Sylhet city's Centeral Shahid Minar where district BNP, Jamaat and NCP leaders demanding reopening of the stone quarries and crushers.

forsylhet@gmail.com