By Flavia Ajok
At least seven people have been arrested during an operation to crackdown on the wetland encroachers in Masindi district.
The individuals whose details have been concealed so as not to jeopardize investigations are currently detained at Masindi Central Police Station.
They were arrested Tuesday morning at Kirasa washing bay in Kirasa 1 Cell, Central Division, during an operation to crackdown on wetland encroachers.
Sanon Dhaala, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner for Masindi told the individuals operating at the washing bay that they are degrading the wetland and they are supposed to operate in the areas gazetted by the municipal authorities.
Dhaala mentioned activities such as fish farming, animal rearing which are allowed to operate in the wetlands but not washing bay or cultivating.
He therefore advised the public to desist from turning wetlands into washing bay or cultivating in the wetlands. Dhaala said the operation would be carried throughout the district and advised those operating in the wetlands to vacate before they face arrest.
Fred Kasigwa, the Masindi Municipal Senior Environment Officer said that those washing vehicles at the wetland they are doing it illegally and it’s against the law.
He therefore advised them to operate at the gazetted washing bays in the municipality in order to protect the environment.
Though Kasigwa advised those operating in wetlands to shift to gazetted washing bays, Imam Fazil Jammad, the team leader at the washing bay however vowed that they would not vacate the wetland until the municipal authorities allocate them to the gazetted wetlands.
This prompted the deputy RDC, Sanon Dhaala to order for the arrest of individuals who had refused to vacate the area leading to the arrest of seven people.
