People from 'Red Level' hillslide zones to be evacuated

Staff Reporter
Commerce and education adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman Tuesday visited the site of Monday morning's devastating mudslide in Chittagong, which claimed 11 lives, despite repeated warnings from experts.
Talking to reporters in the Motijharna area, where the disaster occurred, Hossain Zillur said the most at-risk sites in and around the area had been identified as "Red Level" zones. Local administration and city corporation officials have been advised to evacuate people from the "Red Level" areas and to ensure no further private housing is constructed at those sites. The adviser said orders had also been issued to railway officials as well as WASA and local police to evacuate those living in vulnerable areas under their control. "From now on none will be permitted to build houses in the most risky areas. The forest department has been asked to start forestation in these areas as quickly as possible," Zillur said. Monday's tragedy comes in the wake of last year's lethal June 11mudslide in the district, which more than 100 people were killed. He also said measures would be taken to provide mobile courts with the power to put an end to hill cutting, known to be a major contributing factor to mudslides, under environmental legislation. "The technical committee formed earlier has been given orders to send specific proposals to the government as a priority on how to save the hills. When we receive them the government will arrange financing," said the adviser. Rahman stressed the importance of a permanent solution to the relocation of the mainly low-income residents of the targeted areas.
"People living in vulnerable areas have already been evacuated once before, although many of them simply returned to the area," he said. Prior to visiting Motijharna, the adviser held a meeting with senior officials from the local administration at Chittagong Circuit House, where he announced a grant of Tk 4.25 lakh to six families affected by the disaster. Calls were also made at the meeting to take legal action against those responsible for building and renting constructions in dangerous hilly areas. A case has already been filed against Advocate Abdullah Ahsan Piku, owner of Hossain Colony, who built and then rented out houses after allegedly grabbing Bangladesh Railway owned land at the foot of Motijharna Tank hills. Following the adviser's visit, city corporation workers began evicting people living in the most risky spots in Motijharna. They have been temporarily moved to Lalkhan Bazar Motijharna School. On his return to Dhaka, Rahman said those involved with building housing on land owned by different agencies in Chittagong are now being identified. Speaking to reporters in the capital, the adviser said: "Poverty is a factor in building houses in the hills." He said the government is searching for areas in the city to house those targeted for relocation, for which funds would be made available.