THE government announced the suspension of demolition of structures in flood prone areas for 14 days, warning that the exercise will resume after expiry of the cut-off date.
The decision was reached jointly by the Ministry of Land, Housing and Human Settlements Development, the National Environment Management Council (NEMC) and Dar es Salaam City Council.
The move is just a way forward to enable victims in the water streams to move to better places that have been authorized for human settlement development.
Addressing journalists in Dar es Salaam, the Minister for Land, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Mr William Lukuvi, said the exercise shall resume on January 5.
“The government had already issued directives to all who have illegally built their structures at restricted areas, to vacate… we have decided to give them 14 days starting today (yesterday),” he said.For his part, the Minister of State, Vice-President’s Office (Union and Environment), Mr January Makamba, urged city residents to adhere to rules and regulations that have been laid down by the government in controlling environmental pollution and destruction.
He said, the 2014 Environmental Management Act Cap. 191, offers no chance to anyone to develop open spaces and hazardous and swampy areas.
“Everyone has to respect the environmental Management Act, 2004 Cap 191, which holds that ‘No human activities of a permanent nature or which may, by their nature, likely to compromise or adversely affect conservation and, or the protection of ocean or natural lake shorelines shall be allowed,” he noted.
According to him, failure to do so results into destruction of city infrastructures as well as causing eruption of diseases such as cholera due to flooding and poor drainage systems.
“The government shall not tolerate any kind of destruction as they result into massive loss of natural organisms and large portion of lands that could be used for communal benefits including tourism activities,” he explained.
Mr Makamba added that the exercise to demolish structures that have been built at restricted areas by NEMC will be progressive and is set to kick off to other Mainland regions with the focus to retain water sources that were invaded.
“The exercise had started in Dar es Salaam and shall move to other regions. I want to assure everyone that we are committed to ensure our environments are protected countrywide. Legal measures will be taken against those who shall break the environmental law,” he cautioned.
/Daily News.
No comments :
Post a Comment