Nema rapped for not warning on graves

By Abubaker Musoke in Jinja THE Parliamentary sessional committee on Natural Resources has blamed National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) for failing to devise controls over the increase in the number of cemented graves. The committee observed that cemented graves were a threat to the environment if their numbers were left to grow unchecked. Emmanuel Dombo (Bunyole County) said that there was massive land degradation where people continued to reinforce the graves with cement and concrete. He said: “This must be checked if we are to protect the land resource for the future generation.” The MPs were attending a two-day retreat with the minister, state ministers and officials of the Water, Lands and Environment ministry at Sunset Hotel , Jinja, last Friday. Dombo told the retreat, chaired by the committee vice-chairman, Ken Lukyamuzi, that people had copied western tradition of concrete and cement graves, which he said would form a concrete basement in future if not checked. “I wonder whether NEMA has endeavoured to educate the masses on the dangers of cement graves because there is fear that we might end up with a concrete basement in future,” Dombo said. Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, the water lands and environment minister, along with state ministers, Maria Mutagamba (water), Dr. Kezimbira Miyingo (Environment) and Baguma Isoke (Lands) attended the retreat aimed at sensitising committee members with the ministry’s policy statement and operations for different sectors in regard to safeguarding of natural resources. Tom Bagalana (Bunya East) blamed the meteorological department for releasing what he termed as misleading and unrealistic weather forecasts.” He said the forecasts needed to be effectively done and made at regional rather than national level. “It should be spread all-over the country and broadened to change people’s minds especially while handling activities like business, leisure and sports,” Bagalana said. Bwango Apuli, the Commissioner for Meteorology, said the inadequacies in forecast results were due to budgetary constraints. ends