Illegal soil lifting threatens Gumti River embankment

Unabated illegal soil lifting from at least 20 points of Gumti River in Burichang upazila is putting the embankment and river banks at the risk of erosion.

Locals alleged that the movement of hundreds of tractors, which are being used for extracting soil from the river shoals, have intensified dust and sound pollution.

Gumti River embankment and adjoining roads are being damaged due to the tractors’ movement and soil lifting, locals said.

Soil is being illegally lifted from areas including Kamarkhara, Gobindopur, Sripur and Balikhara. Farmers once used to cultivate vegetables in the char areas in dry seasons but now they are being denied access to the areas.

Tahmida Akhter, executive magistrate and assistant commissioner (land), said that actions have been taken against illegal soil lifting. “We’ve conducted mobile courts several times,” she said.