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Bukedi, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Water and Environment has started demarcating wetlands in the Bukedi sub-region.
Last year President Museveni commissioned the Limoto Wetland Wise use demonstration site in Puti Puti sub-county Pallisa district and directed farmers and residents who had encroached on the wetland to vacate.
He said that the government would introduce other sustainable livelihood projects for the affected farmers to boost their income.
Recently, there have been clashes between the residents of Kibuku district and Police which has been enforcing the law against wetland encroachment.
Richard Kyambade, a wetlands officer in the Ministry of Water and Environment says that they started with Papayo and limoto swamps because they are the most degraded. The two wetlands pour water in Lake Lemwa which provides water to Pallisa district.
He says that the government intends to reclaim over 1,000 hectares of wetland which has been encroached. The exercisewill include retracing the wetland boundaries and placing mark stones.
Kyeyune Senyonjo, the Pallisa Resident District Commissioner urged residents who want to use wetland to seek permission from the district and get guidelines of how to use the wetlands.
Constantine Olupoti the LCI Chairperson of Kabilapayi village in Pallisa sub-county where the wetland is located urged the residents to respect the demarcations to avoid being caught on the wrong side of the law.
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