Tororo residents launch drive to plant over two mln trees to save river
TORORO-Residents of Tororo district have embarked on planting over two million trees in a campaign aimed at saving the environment, particularly Aturukuru stream.
The residents mainly from Eastern Division in Tororo Municipality say planting trees will save Aturukuku stream which faces extinction as it provides them with water for domestic use as well as farming.
The stream which snakes through Tororo Municipality, Tororo South County, is a major water source in the area. It flows to join River Malaba, which provides water to the National Water and Sewerage Corporation [NWSC].
With support from African Youth, Women Emancipation, Children and Community Alliance, a community-based organisation; residents are determined to plant the trees along the stretch of the stream within one year.
During the campaign launch presided over by the Tororo Municipality Member of Parliament, Yeri Apollo Ofwono, residents claimed that the campaign is aimed at combating extreme weather conditions such as drought which has made the people along the stream catchment area suffer.
The village LC1 chairperson, Joseph Otal said the water catchment areas in the district have been highly degraded while river banks are encroached on.
“We are mainly targeting to plant Bambo species along the banks of the stream within a period of one year. We are also mobilizing other community members to join the campaign,” Otal said.
He added that they are also working towards formulating a by-law that will restrict and regulate human activities along the banks of the stream as a way to save the stream from massive destruction.
Daniel Ochieng Ologe, one of the directors of African Youth, Women Emancipation, Children and Community Alliance, urged the communities to support the go green campaign.
According to him, the organisation has secured enough tree seedlings of various tree species including Bamboo and fruit trees for the locals to plant.
He said besides saving the stream, they will also distribute mainly fruit tree seedlings to every household.
The area Member of Parliament, Ofwono pledged to support the initiative.
“The people who are still interested in using the banks of the stream should engage in fish farming,” he said.
He said under the Parish Development Model [PDM] the locals can be supported to do fish farming, saying they will be guided by the fisheries officers.
”We know that many of you have been earning a living from cultivating the banks of this stream but we are saying it’s time for us to save it and this can only be done by planting trees at the banks. I encourage all those neighbouring the stream to go into fish farming or beekeeping” he said.
Isa Arima, from National Water and Sewerage Corporation, commended the communities for the initiative they have taken.
“The move will also save the corporation from continuously incurring the cost of water treatment since the stream joins River Malaba where we have their water treatment plant,” he said.
https://thecooperator.news/resistance-as-govt-launches-wetlands-restoration-in-tororo-district/
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