EIA for CMCH burn unit project gets nod, hill cutting clearance still pending

The Department of Environment (DoE) has approved the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Burn Unit Project at the Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH).

However, clearance for razing hills in the project area is still awaiting approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Urmi Sarker, assistant director of the DoE Chattogram office, confirmed the development to The Business Standard, stating, "The project gets the EIA clearance. We also sent the proposal to the ministry for the clearance for razing hill, which is still pending."

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is the assessment of the environmental consequences of a proposed development project.

Environmentalists have urged the CMCH authorities to refrain from any land modification activities before securing formal approval.

Monira Parvin Ruba, Chattogram Divisional Coordinator of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), emphasised, "The government may allow hill cutting for national interest, and as a state entity, the CMCH authority should have awaited approval."

Engineers resume preparatory work

Despite the pending clearance, Chinese engineers leading the project have resumed preparatory work, according to hospital sources.

However, the hospital authorities noted that full-scale construction would likely commence in a month. The burn unit is being built at the foothills of the Goachi Bagan area in Chattogram.

The project will reshape the steep hill using advanced Chinese engineering, including soil nailing, reinforced columns for landslide control, a retaining wall to prevent erosion, and grass planting for stability, they added.

Addressing concerns over environmental impact, CMCH Director Brigadier General Mohammad Taslim Uddin clarified, "Some reports mistakenly labeled the engineering process as hill cutting. In reality, we are using soil nailing technology, which strengthens the hill rather than damaging it."

"Now we have the necessary approvals to proceed with the project," he added.

Project's prospects

The 150-bed Bangladesh-China Friendship Burn Unit Chattogram project was approved on 12 June 2024. Earlier, on 9 May the National Economic Council's Executive Committee (ECNEC) okayed the Tk284.76 crore project, with China funding Tk179.83 crore and Bangladesh Tk104.93 crore.

Upon completion, the six-story hospital will include an emergency department, outdoor facilities, labs, operation theaters, and ICUs.

The ICU will have 10 ICU beds, 10 male HDU beds, 10 female HDU beds, and 5 pediatric HDU beds. The general ward will offer 115 beds, with 45 for female patients.