Save St Martin's from coral hunters
Inspector General of Police Noor Mohammad visits coral reef in St Martin's island under Cox's Bazar district recently to see for himself the effect of widespread rock extraction in the picturesque tourist spot. Photo: STAR
Speakers at a meeting have urged necessary steps to protect the environment and ecology of St Martin's Island under Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar district. At the programme organised by Cox's Bazar district police at the conference room of Blue Marine Hotel on the island Sunday afternoon, several hundred people from different professions pledged to do their best to save environment and ecology of the picturesque coral island. Natural beauty of St Martin's attracts a large number of people from home and abroad but indiscriminate extraction of stones and sea corals is causing harm to its environment and ecology, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nur Mohammad said in his speech as chief guest at the function. Referring to the information provided by biologists, he said the island is home of 153 species of sea algae and 157 species of aquatic plants. Besides, there are 66 species of corals, 157 species of conchs and shells, 240 species of fish and 29 species of reptiles in the island rich in bio-diversity. He posed a question implying that the island would lose its attraction to tourists if its resources are destroyed. "All should refrain from activities that is harmful to environment. The government is taking a special plan to save St Martin's Island," Cox's Bazar Superintendent of Police Md Sakhawat Hossain said. He sought suggestions from the audience on the ways to save environment and ecology of the island and make it tourist-friendly. "Eighty per cent residents of the island depend on fishing in the sea for livelihood. Adequate security measures should be taken to protect the fishermen from pirates," said Feroz Ahmed Khan, chairman of St Martin's Union Parishad. Chittagong Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Md Asaduzzaman Miah, Teknaf Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Khaled Hossain and Managing Director of Elita Aquaculture Ltd S Sarwar also spoke on the occasion.
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