'Stop illegal stone extraction in Sylhet'

Environment activists and academics have demanded immediate measures for stopping illegal extraction of stone from various places in Sylhet. They raised the issue at a view exchange meeting with the media persons at a hotel in the city on Wednesday.

They sought media support for the critical issue while some groups were lobbying for permission of stone extraction although it's still banned by a high court order.

The speakers said that organised groups had been indiscriminately extraditioning stones from various places in the district at the cost of environmental degradation. Things were limited months ago, but it went almost open after the recent changeover. The extraction had been going on even at Jafflong, which is already declared ECA (ecologically critical area) and its neighbouring

points, violating the high court orders. Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (BELA) organised the event. BELA's regional coordinator Shah Shaheda read out a paper on the 'Extraction of stones and the present situation in Sylhet'.

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