Tuesday 13 November 2012

KABYANGA WRITES TO NEMA OVER GREENBELTS


Kasese Municipal council has written to the National Environment Management Authorities to deal with investors developing the green spaces in the urban center without following the original proposal,
the Mayor Mr. Godfrey Kabbyanga has said.
Mr. Kabbyanga was on Friday speaking during a public dialogue organized by Kasese Guide Radio and Uganda Media Development Foundation under the theme; Deteriorating Greenbelts, challenges of
investment and Development.
The mayor said that the municipal council inherited the greenbelts problems from the former Kasese town council that had sold out plots to investors so cheaply and did not follow up the implementation of a re-planning proposal that was approved by NEMA.
“All the greenbelts had a re-planning proposal approved by NEMA but the former town council leaders never minded to do their part of making sure the investors do not destroy the green”. Mr. Kabbyanga
said.
Currently, the green belt on Kilembe road is being highly developed by investors who are erecting permanent structures which have angered most of the stakeholders in Kasese town.
Among the permanent structures that are currently in use include a shopping mall, the transmission house for one of the telecommunications companies and a residential house. Two other storied buildings are under construction in the green belt.
Participants at the dialogue held in Virina Gardens Hotel, accused the urban authorities for “acting careless to watch when the green spaces are cut down”.
Mr. Ivan Muhasa Mbondi an elder in Kasese town said that they are the top leaders of the Municipality that have messed up with everything by not acting according to the structural plan adding that such buildings need to be demolished as it has been done in Kampala.
Kampala Capital City Authority led by Executive Director Ms. Jeniffer Musisi have not spared any buildings build against the structural plan.
The Deputy Town Clerk of Kasese Municipality Mr. Seleverio Mukobi revealed that the approved re-planning proposal for the green spaces provide that any investor should make sure development is 60% and leave 40% of the green on every plot.
He said that only one of the investors has fulfilled the requirements-mentioning White House Gardens a recreational place along Kilembe road.
However, the Mayor re-affirmed that despite plots being sold fraudulently to the developers, there is no way the Municipal council will reclaim them because land tittles are already secured.
He said that the demolition exercise would start with towing away all the containers that have been used for business in the green space along the Kasese-Mbarara road.
He added that Kasese Municipal council will not re-plan the remaining green spaces as they embark on intensive tree planting campaign.

No comments:

Post a Comment