Wetlands officials halt encroacher’s project
Oct 07, 2002
Officials of the Wetlands Department have blocked developments at Kachindu Swamp, near Lutembe Beach. They argue that it contravenes environmental laws.
Officials of the Wetlands Department have blocked developments at Kachindu Swamp, near Lutembe Beach. They argue that it contravenes environmental laws. The work, spearheaded by one John Kabuye was stopped on October 1 after employees at the site stubbornly refused to comply with earlier orders from the Wetlands Department of the Ministry of Environment.
When the officers, Francis Ogwal and Olive Gutosi visited the site two graders belonging to Arab Contractors were pouring murram into a tipper, which was then dumping it into a nearby swamp.
Ogwal said that Kabuye had cleared a large area of the lake shore wetland measuring 340x 350mm adding that the “protection zone†for the lake had been destroyed.
Ogwal, who was escorted by the officer in charge, Kajjansi Police Post, Daudi Balidawa, ordered that the work stop immediately.
“We are not against development. all we are saying is that new developments should not interfere with other natural resources like lakes and rivers,†Ogwal said.
He said that the place is an Important Bird Area (IBA) because many birds go there when there is winter in Europe.
He explained that officers from the Wetlands Department visited the scene on September 20 after a tip-off by an informer and they advised the men not to continue with their work but were ignored.
“We told these people to put their work to a halt but they refused.
They have been doing their work early in the morning and late in the afternoon,†Ogwal remarked.
The National Environmental Statute of 1995 states that no person shall reclaim, drain, damage, deposit and disturb any wetland unless they have approval from the authority given in consultation with the lead agency.
He said that the lake would be polluted and the environment would be tampered with if any developments were made on the ground.
Ogwal said that any person who wants to start any project has to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study.
Ogwal’s efforts to trace Kabuye were futile because he was said to be out of the country.
When the officers, Francis Ogwal and Olive Gutosi visited the site two graders belonging to Arab Contractors were pouring murram into a tipper, which was then dumping it into a nearby swamp.
Ogwal said that Kabuye had cleared a large area of the lake shore wetland measuring 340x 350mm adding that the “protection zone†for the lake had been destroyed.
Ogwal, who was escorted by the officer in charge, Kajjansi Police Post, Daudi Balidawa, ordered that the work stop immediately.
“We are not against development. all we are saying is that new developments should not interfere with other natural resources like lakes and rivers,†Ogwal said.
He said that the place is an Important Bird Area (IBA) because many birds go there when there is winter in Europe.
He explained that officers from the Wetlands Department visited the scene on September 20 after a tip-off by an informer and they advised the men not to continue with their work but were ignored.
“We told these people to put their work to a halt but they refused.
They have been doing their work early in the morning and late in the afternoon,†Ogwal remarked.
The National Environmental Statute of 1995 states that no person shall reclaim, drain, damage, deposit and disturb any wetland unless they have approval from the authority given in consultation with the lead agency.
He said that the lake would be polluted and the environment would be tampered with if any developments were made on the ground.
Ogwal said that any person who wants to start any project has to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study.
Ogwal’s efforts to trace Kabuye were futile because he was said to be out of the country.