Kampala water treatment cost has tripled, minister
Feb 10, 2009
THE cost of treating water at Ggaba Water Works has tripled, the environment minister, Maria Mutagamba, has said.
By Gerald Tenywa
THE cost of treating water at Ggaba Water Works has tripled, the environment minister, Maria Mutagamba, has said.
Mutagamba said encroachment on wetlands had destroyed swamps, the natural filters and undermined the capacity to control the pollution of Lake Victoria.
She was addressing residents of Nyanama on Entebbe Road during a tour of the Nyanama-Lufuka wetland, as part of the activities to mark the UN World Environment Day.
The national celebrations will take place at Ssezibwa Falls in Mukono on Friday under the theme “Upstream, Down Stream, Wetlands connect usâ€.
The Nyanama wetland has been destroyed since people started reclaiming it to construct houses. Part of it is used for garbage disposal.
An environmental activist, Matthias Lubega, accused the minister of delaying to take action to save the wetland.
Lubega said he contacted the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the environment ministry over a year ago, to intervene, but they did not act.
“What are you celebrating now?†Lubega asked the minister.
“We should instead mourn the loss of the resource.â€
Lubega said the ministry had let down the people.
“All these houses had not yet been built when I contacted NEMA and the ministry,†he said.
A report by the wetlands management department confirmed that the wetland was being destroyed and was the main cause of flooding in Namasuba and Zaana on Entebbe Road.
The report recommended that the remaining portion be gazetted as a reserve.
THE cost of treating water at Ggaba Water Works has tripled, the environment minister, Maria Mutagamba, has said.
Mutagamba said encroachment on wetlands had destroyed swamps, the natural filters and undermined the capacity to control the pollution of Lake Victoria.
She was addressing residents of Nyanama on Entebbe Road during a tour of the Nyanama-Lufuka wetland, as part of the activities to mark the UN World Environment Day.
The national celebrations will take place at Ssezibwa Falls in Mukono on Friday under the theme “Upstream, Down Stream, Wetlands connect usâ€.
The Nyanama wetland has been destroyed since people started reclaiming it to construct houses. Part of it is used for garbage disposal.
An environmental activist, Matthias Lubega, accused the minister of delaying to take action to save the wetland.
Lubega said he contacted the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the environment ministry over a year ago, to intervene, but they did not act.
“What are you celebrating now?†Lubega asked the minister.
“We should instead mourn the loss of the resource.â€
Lubega said the ministry had let down the people.
“All these houses had not yet been built when I contacted NEMA and the ministry,†he said.
A report by the wetlands management department confirmed that the wetland was being destroyed and was the main cause of flooding in Namasuba and Zaana on Entebbe Road.
The report recommended that the remaining portion be gazetted as a reserve.