Council identifies wetlands houses for relocation

Mutare district has started identifying houses built on wetlands and waterways with a view to relocate people in areas that cannot be saved by engineering works as Government moves to bring sanity in cities and towns.

Many families in parts of Mutare were affected by the heavy rains that were received in Manicaland last month resulting in the destruction of roads, precast walls and flooding of their houses.

A team from the Mutare City Council, the Department of Physical Planning, Environment Management Agency and the District Development Coordinator’s office is touring Zimta, Dreamhouse, Pegasus, Greenside extension and Fairbridge Park to assess the affected houses.

Mutare acting District Development Coordinator Mr Wilson Boore said the team, which started the assessment on Tuesday, will conclude its work by tomorrow.

“The team has been put together to identify stands that were built in wetlands and waterways so that we can see those that cannot be saved by installing proper drainage systems and roads,” he said.

“The team also has the task of finding out the allocating authority, who will then be responsible for compensating the affected homeowners.”

President Mnangagwa this week said corrective measures needed to be taken to bring sanity to the country’s growth points, towns and cities that have seen the mushrooming of new settlements, albeit without the requisite facilities such as water, sewer, electricity and roads.

Mr Boore said some of the stands in Mutare had been allocated by council while others were sold to private land developers who then did not put in place all the necessary infrastructure before selling the stands to homeowners.

Such developers will be expected to bear the cost of relocating the affected families.

EMA has also been roped in to work with the local authority in the siting of residential stands in future.

“We realised that the local authority has not been working with EMA hence the allocation of stands in wetlands and waterways,” he said.

“After this programme, they will continue to have a relationship so that EMA can assist in pointing out areas that are not suitable for residential purposes.”

The initiative will also identify settlements that are dysfunctional and need to be upgraded. Such areas include Gimboki, where allocation of stands was haphazard and resulted thousands of people settling in the area which has remained unserviced with no roads, electricity, water or sewer services for more than a decade.

Mr Boore said Government was keen to make sure such areas are regularised and that people get all services.–herald.cl.zw