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July
4, 2000
Nilphamari,
July 3 (UNB) – The demand for shingle in the country is on the rise.
So is its procurement. But the government’s revenue collection from
the sector is not rising accordingly due to its illegal extraction.
Official
sources said there are huge reserves of shingle in Dimla and Jaldhaka
upazilas of the district from where a section of dishonest
businesspeople procure shingle everyday.
They
said the businessmen take out lease of the lands from the farmers and
extract shingles without giving any revenue to the government.
As
per the existing rule, each extractor is supposed to take license from
the government by paying a specific amount of revenue in advance. But
the extractors hardly bother to abide by the rule.
The
officials said the demand for shingle and silicon continues to rise in
the country with the rapid expansion of construction works and the
present stock of shingle in the two upazilas can meet a larger portion
of local demand. Their qualities are also said to be better than those
found in other northern districts.
Water
Development Board also uses stones for constructing CC Blocks and RCC
pillars for flood protection embankments.
There
have been reports that a section of dishonest officials of the
district administration realise Tk 25,000 to 30,000 from each
leaseholder in the name of revenue and they grab it laving no records.
“The
way they are extracting shingles from the areas that indicates that
there is no rule to regulate them,” said another official wishing
anonymity.
He
said no extractor has come to us to enlist name since the introduction
of the permit system in 1990 to legally procure shingles.
Despite
repeated attempts, the Deputy Commissioner of the district could not
be reached for comment.
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