Building in wetlands is both costly and deadly
Mar 22, 2006
<br>Building in wetlands is costly and deadly. The tragedy that befell believers in a Kalerwe church is regrettable.
Building in wetlands is costly and deadly. The tragedy that befell believers in a Kalerwe church is regrettable.
For sometime now, efforts to restore vital wetlands have been in place with varying levels of compliance. Kampala city has an area of about 195 sq km of which 31sq km is covered by wetlands. Most of the wetlands in the city are permanently waterlogged due to a combination of impeded drainage and annual rainfall.
Just like forests, wetlands are protected by the law and held in trust by the state on behalf of the citizens. Therefore no one can claim ownership to any wetland nor can sell or buy it.
The colonial government left a good legacy of environmental management, but this was disrupted by civil unrests, changes in population, expansion of industries and slums. Cultural, spiritual and political leaders also vest different interests in wetlands.
Consequently, about three quarters of the wetland area in the city has been significantly affected by human activity, with about 13 percent being severely degraded. Yet the wetlands play vital functions like flood control, recharging and stabilisation of underground water systems and purification of waste water.
The disaster that befell the church can be discussed under four themes — policy, development, the will of mankind and the resilience of the environment. The National Environment Act and other legislation clearly spell out activities that are lawful in wetlands (not construction).
On the other hand, development plans do recognise that wetlands, hilltops and green spaces are fragile areas, which must not be subjected to intensive use, but instead preserved for ecological purposes.
Environmental economists postulate that the cost of restoring a degraded environment or the social cost arising from hazards is far greater than the net benefits of abusing it, which tend to be shortlived and benefit few selfish individuals. Therefore, it is widely agreed that developments in wetlands and other fragile ecosystems can be offset, if alternatives exist or are foregone totally. The Bwaise-Kalerwe area is a watershed that is drained by five hills namely, Naguru, Kikaya, bukoto, Kyebando and Mulago. This watershed is a catchment for the Nsooba and Lubiji wetlands which are heavily encroached on.
The entire stretch in Bwaise and kalerwe area is degraded and also set with conditions recipe for flooding such as paved surfaces, houses with iron sheet roofs, bare land, restricted waterway and degraded hillsides. The northern by-pass which traverses the area and whose camber is highly raised, will further aggravate this. Besides, all the trees on hilltops have been replaced with houses having paved compounds.
The situation is compounded by the will of mankind. Because of the “diehard†mentality, most people in Kampala ignore advice not to buy, sell or build in wetlands. To many it is cheaper to purchase wetland areas. However, building in wetlands is very costly and risky, as the degrader must seek to stabilise it by draining and backfilling with soil. Earth scientists and soil experts tell us that the earth crust is still undergoing tectonic movements, which generates forces of tension. Because soil particles are held tight by forces of cohesion, any introduced soil component in an area can easily be washed away. Likewise, any structure built on it can easily succumb to minor imbalances caused by tectonic movements or external factors like strong wind.
It is therefore not surprising that the church in Kalerwe had to collapse. As people continue to aggressively abuse wetlands, nature is beginning to police itself against those ill-intentions and greed.
Nature has fought back through flooding the abusers and inflicting them with cholera (like in Bwaise), a sign of resilience. Therefore, the struggle by environmentalists to protect nature is not because of insanity, but because every being is matter. Isaac Newton said in his third law of motion that for every action there is equal but opposite reaction. Experience shapes humankind and we sadly miss the departed. But the solution to avert similar scenarios will not come from America or Britain, it is in our attitude!
The writer is an
environmentalist
For sometime now, efforts to restore vital wetlands have been in place with varying levels of compliance. Kampala city has an area of about 195 sq km of which 31sq km is covered by wetlands. Most of the wetlands in the city are permanently waterlogged due to a combination of impeded drainage and annual rainfall.
Just like forests, wetlands are protected by the law and held in trust by the state on behalf of the citizens. Therefore no one can claim ownership to any wetland nor can sell or buy it.
The colonial government left a good legacy of environmental management, but this was disrupted by civil unrests, changes in population, expansion of industries and slums. Cultural, spiritual and political leaders also vest different interests in wetlands.
Consequently, about three quarters of the wetland area in the city has been significantly affected by human activity, with about 13 percent being severely degraded. Yet the wetlands play vital functions like flood control, recharging and stabilisation of underground water systems and purification of waste water.
The disaster that befell the church can be discussed under four themes — policy, development, the will of mankind and the resilience of the environment. The National Environment Act and other legislation clearly spell out activities that are lawful in wetlands (not construction).
On the other hand, development plans do recognise that wetlands, hilltops and green spaces are fragile areas, which must not be subjected to intensive use, but instead preserved for ecological purposes.
Environmental economists postulate that the cost of restoring a degraded environment or the social cost arising from hazards is far greater than the net benefits of abusing it, which tend to be shortlived and benefit few selfish individuals. Therefore, it is widely agreed that developments in wetlands and other fragile ecosystems can be offset, if alternatives exist or are foregone totally. The Bwaise-Kalerwe area is a watershed that is drained by five hills namely, Naguru, Kikaya, bukoto, Kyebando and Mulago. This watershed is a catchment for the Nsooba and Lubiji wetlands which are heavily encroached on.
The entire stretch in Bwaise and kalerwe area is degraded and also set with conditions recipe for flooding such as paved surfaces, houses with iron sheet roofs, bare land, restricted waterway and degraded hillsides. The northern by-pass which traverses the area and whose camber is highly raised, will further aggravate this. Besides, all the trees on hilltops have been replaced with houses having paved compounds.
The situation is compounded by the will of mankind. Because of the “diehard†mentality, most people in Kampala ignore advice not to buy, sell or build in wetlands. To many it is cheaper to purchase wetland areas. However, building in wetlands is very costly and risky, as the degrader must seek to stabilise it by draining and backfilling with soil. Earth scientists and soil experts tell us that the earth crust is still undergoing tectonic movements, which generates forces of tension. Because soil particles are held tight by forces of cohesion, any introduced soil component in an area can easily be washed away. Likewise, any structure built on it can easily succumb to minor imbalances caused by tectonic movements or external factors like strong wind.
It is therefore not surprising that the church in Kalerwe had to collapse. As people continue to aggressively abuse wetlands, nature is beginning to police itself against those ill-intentions and greed.
Nature has fought back through flooding the abusers and inflicting them with cholera (like in Bwaise), a sign of resilience. Therefore, the struggle by environmentalists to protect nature is not because of insanity, but because every being is matter. Isaac Newton said in his third law of motion that for every action there is equal but opposite reaction. Experience shapes humankind and we sadly miss the departed. But the solution to avert similar scenarios will not come from America or Britain, it is in our attitude!
The writer is an
environmentalist