The tourist town of Kuakata National Park is just a pile of rubble. The boundary wall on which the entrance and ticket house stands named ‘Kuakata National Park’ is also waiting to be submerged under the sea during the current monsoon season. Apart from this, there are various types of fruit and forest trees including shrubs. Apart from the faintest traces of concrete domes, a few visible picnic sheds, and broken portions of culverts, no other structures exist in the rubble. It can be seen from the surface, the lake arranged inside the park has been washed away by the sand of the shore by the sea water. There is no sign of the interior layout apart from the two single seats. However, hundreds of nature lovers who come to Kuakata every day rush to visit Bhagnadasa. Trying to find the lost beauty of nature.
After searching, it is known that Kuakata National Park is located in Kalapara Upazila of Patuakhali. This park with an area of 1,613 hectares was declared as a national park on 24 October 2010. However, the size of this park has been decreasing for the past 5 to 6 years due to various natural disasters including erosion. About 80 percent of the park has already been destroyed. What is left, apart from natural causes, is in crisis of existence to meet the diverse needs of local residents and coastal fishermen, including fuel.
Beneficiaries inside the forest, including local residents, cut live trees in the park every day in the dark of night. And the damaged trees falling in the waves are being cut down in public. Again, fishermen are cutting down live and dead trees to protect the bottom of their boats on the shore. On the other hand, the roots of dead trees and whole trees are set on fire by fishermen during the winter season to ward off cold.
Apart from this, there are allegations that live and damaged trees of the forest are being bought and sold in connivance with the dishonest officials of the forest department. However, the environmental activists have also complained that there is no accurate count of the destroyed trees of the forest department. There is no responsible role in these supervision. If this park is not saved soon, the people living in the coastal areas will suffer the most. There will be climate impacts and ecological imbalances that can never be recovered. Besides, it will have a huge negative impact on the tourist center.
In 1992, the United Nations decided to take effective steps to create and protect forests in the ‘Rio Declaration’. In a meeting held in 2012, the United Nations General Assembly declared March 21 as the International Day of Forests to protect the security of forests and woodlands. As such, International Day of Forests is being observed on March 21. However, despite taking various programs to prevent deforestation, the protected forest area of the coastal area of Patuakhali cannot be protected. The forest department said that forest protection is being hampered due to insufficient number of forest guards compared to the requirement.
Patuakhali Coastal Forest Department Mohipur Range sources informed that since 1955, the Forest Department has started afforestation in 1,613 hectares of forest land in coastal Kuakata, Khajura and Gangamati areas of Kalapara Upazila’s Mohipur Police Station.
At various stages, 6 million salt-tolerant Keora, Bain, Gewa, Chailagach and salt-intolerant Raintree, Akashmani, Kadai, Mahogany trees have been planted in this region. However, more than half of the trees have been destroyed due to various reasons including natural disasters. Later in the fiscal year 2005-06, afforestation work was started on 13 thousand 984 acres of land for the purpose of establishing Kuakata Ecopark in the coastal areas of Latchapali, Khajura Lembu forest, Fatra forest, Kawarchar and Gangamati areas. Under the coastal afforestation program, two crore 76 lakh rupees were spent on this project.
Later, Keora, Bain, Pasur, Jhau, Akashmani, Kari, Jam, Mahogany, Shimul, Tamarind, Chatian, Arjuna, Neem, Kadam, were planted in this park to make it suitable for tourism for the purpose of conservation of flora, wildlife and nature and development of Kuakata tourism industry. 42,000 saplings of different species of fruit and forest trees including chana, mandar, hijal, bamboo, jute, golden, asamalta, gold vine, coconut, palm, date, amlaki, uriam, guava, lemon, sharifa, golpata.
In the park there were endangered species of monkeys, pigs, monkeys, foxes, bats, badgers, snakes, pythons, squirrels; There were yellow birds, babui, pacha, bau katha kao, chil, shalik, shayama, tuntuni, dove, masranga, buck, dahuk, doel, pacha and bulbul.
These species of animals and birds used to enthrall the tourists. There was a sanctuary for birds in the trees. This park was a lovely pasture for nature lovers. But currently 80% of these animals are no longer in existence.
The park was constructed with an entrance gate with a spectacular boundary wall, five picnic sheds, picnic spots, kitchens, roundhouses, wooden bridges, ghatlas, several box and pipe culverts; Jetties are constructed, gardens for beautification, benches and permanent umbrellas are installed. Public toilets, electricity supply system, tubewells are installed and ticket counters and office buildings are set up. Paddle-boats are provided on the lake within the park. Feeder roads and approach roads were constructed, car parking facilities were constructed along with widening of the approach roads. In the evolution of time, these are now just memories.
In 2007, Super Cyclone Sidor hit Kuakata National Park. Then Aila, Roanu, Ampan, Fani, Yas, Mokha, Remal storms, floods and natural disasters destroyed this park known as the natural wall.
According to forest department figures, three-fourths of the park’s land, including more than two and a half lakh trees, has been lost to the sea. Since then, about 100 acres of land and forest are being lost every year due to natural disasters and sea waves.
Director of Tourism and Civil Aviation and tourism businessman. Nasir Majumdar said in this context, ‘In the beginning of 2009, I started investing in Kuakata under the guidance of the Prime Minister. Many others started investing after I saw them. But everyone has turned their back on beach erosion. Kuakata Udyan has fallen into disrepair as no action has been taken to protect the beach despite being such a promising site.’
Founder President of Kuakata Press Club and development worker Shafiqul Alam said, ‘The green belt is disappearing due to sea sand erosion on the coast of Kuakata. This is a problem for ages.
He said that only 1.5 cm of water is inside the sea. The nature of the coast and potential tourism can be saved through Groen Dam. Changing the flow of sea water through groen dams could easily save our Kuakatta beaches and forests. He said, I have traveled to many countries. Seen in those countries. I have many proofs of that.’ Patuakhali Forest Department Mohipur range officer. Abul Kalam said, about 10,000 acres of forest land including Kawar Char in the east of Kuakata beach, Lembu forest in the west and Fatra forest in the east of Sundar forest have disappeared. Most of the National Parks established by the Forest Department have been destroyed by the sea waves.
He said that the project of National Park was taken up in 2010 around 1300 acres of forest land. Various species of trees are planted in the national park. At present, most of the forests in the national park have disappeared. This forest officer fears that if the government does not take measures to prevent erosion, what is there will also be destroyed.
Executive Engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board Kalapara Circle. Khalid Bin Waleed said that when a project proposal worth Tk 12 billion was sent to the Ministry of Planning in 2022 to prevent soil erosion of Kuakata beach, it was sent back as it was an expensive project. Then in 2023, a new project proposal of Tk 759 crore has been sent to the Ministry. The official said that this project has been proposed while maintaining the environment and beauty of the beach.
Everyone knows that forests play the most effective role in keeping the Earth habitable. From which all living things survive through oxygen. However, the people of the coast are still not aware of protecting the forest; They are giving more priority to the need side. As a result of which the average temperature of the entire country including coastal areas is increasing every year. On the one hand, crops are being damaged. On the other hand, farmers are not able to grow seasonal crops due to lack of rain. Also people of all ages are affected by various diseases. An economic crisis is brewing. Still, no one seems to be coming to their senses. There is no initiative in awareness.
Dhaka Times/29 July/PS
Source: www.dhakatimes24.com
