Satkania in Ctg: 354 trees to be felled for road, canal work

At least 354 trees are going to be felled to facilitate re-excavation of Eochiachhara canal and expansion of an adjacent road in Chattogram's Satkania upazila.

The Forest Department has already floated a tender for selling the timber after getting final approval from the Chief Conservator of Forest.

The trees, planted under a social forestry programme in 2017-18 fiscal year for the Madarsha forest range, are estimated to yield approximately 950 cubic feet of timber, valued at Tk 1,42,457, according to an assessment by the Chattogram South Forest Department.

The Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) is currently implementing the Tk 34 lakh project to re-excavate the canal for mitigating waterlogging in the area.

Simultaneously, the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) is expanding an adjacent road to enhance connectivity and improve local transportation network.

Officials concerned said the presence of the trees has become a barrier to continuing work for both projects under a major government development initiative aimed at improving water management and transportation in the area.

"We are re-excavating the canal to solve the waterlogging problem in the area. Due to these trees along the canal, our work has been significantly hampered," said Belal Hossain, assistant engineer at BADC (Chattogram South).

"To proceed with the project, we approached the Forest Department through the upazila administration and requested permission to fell the trees," he added.

Abdullah Al Mamun, divisional forest officer of Chattogram South Forest Department, confirmed that formal requests from both the BADC and LGED were received via the upazila administration.

Following an internal assessment, the department sent a proposal to the Chief Conservator of Forests seeking approval in this regard and already got permission.

"These trees were planted on Khas land beside a road. Since the land is now needed for development projects that serve public interest, we have to hand it over to the agencies concerned, as the Forest Department must comply with policy provisions that prioritise national infrastructure needs," Mamun added.