Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has said on Saturday no more leases will be allotted for stone extraction in environmentally critical areas like Jaflong.
The government will consult stakeholders to explore sustainable eco-tourism models for these areas, Rizwana commented while talking to reporters after visiting Jaflong in Sylhet on Saturday, says UNB.
She also said a comprehensive master plan will be developed to promote eco-friendly tourism in Jaflong and other tourist destinations in Sylhet and the master plan will prioritise creating alternative livelihood opportunities for workers currently involved in stone extraction.
Rizwana said the Ministries of Civil Aviation and Tourism, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, and Environment, Forest and Climate Change will work in coordination to implement this plan.
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan said due to the cessation of stone extraction in Jaflong the existing stone crushers in the area will be removed. “Unauthorised extraction activities will remain strictly prohibited,” he said.
Earlier, both advisers visited various sites in Jaflong by boat and discussed possible development plans.