By ALVAR MWAKYUSA, 29th December 2011 @ 19:00, Total Comments: 0, Hits: 4425
DEVELOPERS who have erected structures on storm water conduits, causing flooding in surrounding areas were on Thursday advised to demolish the structures.
The Deputy Minister for Land, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Mr Goodluck Ole-Medeye, told 'Daily News' that no developer would from now on be allowed to construct a building before doing an environment impact assessment (EIA).
"This will ensure that such structures are constructed in proper areas to avoid floods in nearby settlements. Development for any major structure should be accompanied by an EIA certificate," Mr Ole Medeye said.
During a visit to console victims of floods that pounded Dar es Salaam last week, President Jakaya Kikwete spoke against developers putting up structures in storm water conduits, leading to flooding in surrounding areas.
"It is high time that responsible authorities including city planners, mayors and councillors stopped issuing permits for developers to erect structures in such areas," Mr Kikwete said.
The Head of State also urged city planners to put in place proper city master plans to avoid catastrophes.
Mr Kikwete went further and cited a huge wall constructed at Kigogo Sambusa area, along Kawawa Road, on the banks of River Msimbazi, which has blocked part of the river whose water flows into the Indian Ocean.
In reaction on Thursday, the Mayors of Ilala and Kinondoni municipalities vowed in separate interviews with 'Daily News' to deal with the developers.
"We held a council meeting last Friday in which we directed the city planning committee to identify the areas in question and advise us on the best way forward," the Ilala Mayor, Mr Jerry Silaa, said.
The Mayor acknowledged, however, that some permits for such developments were issued erroneously by the municipalities.
"Once we have identified the areas, whether formally or informally developed, we will advise the Commissioner of Land to annul the permits. We will also find out who issued such permits," remarked the youthful politician.
His sentiments were echoed in a separate interview by the Mayor of Kinondoni, Mr Yusuf Mwenda, who maintained that the structures would be demolished.
"We will soon start to investigate how those structures were erected, their costs and whether they had permits," the mayor said.
Like his Ilala counterpart, Mr Mwenda also acknowledged the fact that some of permits in storm water channels were issued by the municipality wrongly.
Some stakeholders have expressed concerns that floods in some parts of the city are augmented by structures erected on storm water conduits and called for appropriate action.
Examples of structures erected on storm water channels are but not limited to Mayfair Plaza, Tanesco offices for Kinondoni and residential apartments along the Old Bagamoyo Road.
Deputy Minister Ole-Medeye called for joint cooperation from the public and other stakeholders in addressing the problem.
He was, however, optimistic that following the floods last week and the aftermath, the public and developers will refrain from building in lowland areas and storm water passageway.
The floods caused by heavy rains, which the Tanzania Meteorology Agency (TMA) said are the heaviest in 57 years, have claimed 40 lives and rendered some 5,000 people homeless.
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