LAND Developer Ordered To Stop Work On ILLEGAL Allocated Land In NDOLA

THE Zambia Environmental Management Authority (ZEMA) has ordered that construction works being carried out by a private developer on a plot at the junction of Kabwe road and Dag Hammaskjoeld drive in Ndola’s Itawa be immediately halted. ZEMA regional coordinator for the Copperbelt, Patson Zulu told the Times in an interview yesterday that the developer was working on the land without consent from the authority.

He said that ZEMA was supposed to be consulted so that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) could be conducted in order to establish the suitability of the place for the intended development. Mr Zulu said before any development of any area could be commenced, ZEMA had to assess the impact it would have in relation to the environment and had authority to allow or not allow developers depending on its findings.

“We have not received anyone at out Copperbelt offices to tell us that they are interested in developing the place. So we have ordered that any development of the place should be stopped,” he said.

Mr Zulu further said that the area was close to the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (Zesco) pylons which posed a great risk to the area and also the presence of the stream on the land in question should be taken into consideration.

But the proprietor of the land, a Mr Magaba Nyirenda insisted that he got approval from the Ndola City Council to develop the land adding that officials from the local authority had toured the land several times before approving it.

He said he had even been given title to the land by the ministry of lands and planned to set up a hotel, restaurant and offices at the area which he claimed had previously been a dungeon for criminals. “They should promote local investors instead of victimizing us about land which we are helping to add value to. I have spent a lot of millions on transforming this place into a more habitable place,” he said.

Another concerned Ndola resident, William Wilima complained that the place would loose its scenic beauty unless the local authorities considered turning it into a park to preserve the environment.

He said that the local authorities should preserve some places in the city for people to be able to appreciate nature instead of offering it to developers who would turn it into an industrial area. Mr Wilima appealed to the minister of local government, housing, early education and environmental protection to put a stop to the intended development of the place into an industry.

Posted by Editor on November 14, 2011. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

6 Responses to LAND Developer Ordered To Stop Work On ILLEGAL Allocated Land In NDOLA

Operative

November 14, 2011 at 10:58 am

It is not just a matter promoting local investors without following the laws of the land.If anything its as the locals who should be in the fore front adheringto the recquirements baba.If you had followed the law go to court and present your case.But if you didn’t follow the law,am afraid you will loose it my brother.Just like that!
chikali

November 14, 2011 at 12:29 pm

Rumor has it that directors at ndola city council have been alocating land illegaly.That place should be left the way it is infact those car washes and tracks should be removed
kamzi

November 14, 2011 at 1:23 pm

now the corrupt elements of ndola city council will start comin out of the woodwork like the cockroaches they are runnin away from the so called “target”that is zema.
Anzhi Makhachkala 2 Arsernal 1

November 14, 2011 at 1:32 pm

Mr. Magaba shud be reminded that having a title deed is not a guarantee to honest ownership. The title could have been obtained fraudulently. So ZEMA do your work, esp with Kamwala and these new East African filling stations that building anywhere everywhere.
Chief Consultant

November 14, 2011 at 3:36 pm

Despite getting consent of land from the council, you are suppose to do an EIA. Failure to it you cant put up your so called hotel without an EPB
jerabo mwaume

November 15, 2011 at 8:00 pm

In fact there are people building houses hardly 10 meters from the main national railway line between Chawama and Lilayi and nothing seems to be done about it. Can Railway Systems of Zambia (RSZ) and Lusaka City Council take this up? Can I please have the telephone numberS for LCC and RSZ Public Relations Managers