Topsoil removal for brick making damages fertility of farmlands

Topsoil of croplands are being used for manufacturing bricks in different brick kilns of Tangail's Basail upazila, damaging the fertility of lands and also destroying local environment.

A group of influential earth traders are buying the topsoil of the farmlands from local people in Kawaljani union of the upazila and selling the soil to different brickfields.

As a result, the local rural roads have been badly damaged due to rampant plying of earth-laden trucks and illegal tractors.

Local people said the influential traders were cutting off topsoil at least seven points in Moheshkhali and Ronggilabari areas of the union for the last couple of weeks.

The syndicate of powerfull earth traders having political clout is doing the brisk business of crores of taka after managing the local administration, they alleged.

Hobibur Rahman Chowdhury Hobi, chairman of Kawaljani Union Parishad, said the rural roads in the area were badly damaged by the recent devastating and prolonged floods. Now the roads are also being damaged due to rampant plying of earth-laden heavy vehicles.

Despite repeated pleas, the influential earth traders did not pay any heed to the matter, he said, adding that only the local administration can stop the illegal act.

Asked about the matter, Nahian Noon, assistant commissioner (Land) in Basail, they were not informed about the matter.

Necessary steps will be taken in this regard after investigating the matter, said the assistant commissioner.

Contacted, Mohammad Mujahidul Islam, deputy director (DD) of Directorate of Environment in Tangail, said the use of topsoil for brick making causes serious damages to the croplands and its fertility.

However, they have nothing to do in this regard as it is the duty of the local assistant commissioner to take action to stop the illegal act, he said. 

The DD added that the brick kiln owners all use the topsoil of the farmlands to make bricks. They must have taken permission from the deputy commissioner's office to collect earth for manufacturing bricks.