Uganda's Lwera wetland has long been worked over by sand miners motivated by demand from the construction industry. Activists and officials say the mining activities must be stopped because they degrade the environmentally sensitive wetland.
https://apnews.com/article/uganda-sand-mining-lake-victoria-basin-13ec983cdddcb3f0fc48d9e908632a36
Now, all known corporate operations within the wetland have authorization to be there, giving them a measure of legitimacy that’s frustrating environmental activists, local officials and others who say the mining activities must be stopped because they degrade the wetland.Locals in Lwera’s farming community say they reap misery, complaining that mining creates few jobs and ruins the land.
But while all wetlands around Lake Victoria are under threat from sand miners, the eponymously named sand from Lwera is favored among builders for its coarse texture that’s said to perform better in brickwork mortar. A representative of Seroma Ltd., production manager Wahab Ssegane, defended their work, saying they have a permit, their operations are 10 kilometers from the lake and that they follow guidelines from the National Environment Management Authority.“Otherwise, you would have to import sand,” said NEMA spokeswoman Naomi K. Namara. Companies caught degrading the environment face stiff financial penalties, she said.
It’s hard to refill the open spaces when miners dig that deep, leaving depressions in the earth, he said. Companies — often with soldiers or police manning the gates — operate virtually under no supervision and local officials have been reduced to mere spectators, according to some officials and residents who spoke to the AP.
México Últimas Noticias, México Titulares
Similar News:También puedes leer noticias similares a ésta que hemos recopilado de otras fuentes de noticias.
LGBTQ Ugandans live in fear as new law loomsAt a shelter for lesbian women in Uganda's capital Kampala, gone are the days when the residents, having fled abuse and stigma at home, could breathe easy and be themselves.
Leer más »
LGBTQ Ugandans live in fear as new law loomsAt a shelter for lesbian women in Uganda's capital Kampala, gone are the days when the residents, having fled abuse and stigma at home, could breathe easy and be themselves. That came to an end a month ago when parliament passed some of the world's strictest anti-LGBTQ legislation, which would criminalise the 'promotion' of homosexuality and impose the death penalty for certain crimes involving gay sex. President Yoweri Museveni said on Thursday that he supports the legislation but has requested some modifications from parliament, including provisions to 'rehabilitate' gay people, before he signs it.
Leer más »
Russia becomes second-largest Bitcoin mining hub after US, claims local minerRussia has climbed to second place in global cryptocurrency mining, however, the US remaining the leader may experience a market shift due to the lack of clear regulations.
Leer más »
“Big melt” begins for Sierra Nevada snowpackFlood danger increases for Tulare Lake Basin area and Yosemite Valley as temperatures rise this week
Leer más »