OTTAWA RESIDENTS UP IN ARMS OVER DESTRUCTION OF ENVIRONMENT

"OTTAWA IS A RESIDENTIAL VILLAGE"

(Some of the residents who attended the meeting at the Ottawa Civic Hall on Thursday, Sept 10 2015) By Subry Govender The residents of Ottawa, near Verulam, on the North Coast have made urgent representations to the Ethekwini Municipality to help the community in protecting the area from degeneration and degradation. The residents, led by the Ottawa Environmental Forum, have submiited a memorandum to the municipality about the degeneration of the area that has been allowed to take place over the past few years. The residents have highlighted the destruction of the Ottawa River by unscrupulous truck owners who are dumping sand and rubbish into the river; the use of residential properties in Munn Road and Riverview Road for their prepesterous and illegal actions; the use of residential properties in Kissoon Road, Maharaj Road, Riverview Road and Munn Road for the parking of huge trucks; the dumping of sand, reclaiming of land and establishment of a livestock business near the Ottawa bridge; the use of an area at the entrance to School Road for anti-social activities; the alleged use of the Ottawa Community Hall by squatters; and the general litter and filth that has enveloped the main road and the other roads in the village. A meeting was held with two municipal officials recently after the Ottawa Environment Forum submitted its complaints. The municipal officials were appalled at the situation and promised to take appropriate actions and to work with the Forum to clean up the area. Mr Atom Dilraj, an official of the Ottawa Environmental Forum, said the residents were deeply concerned about the general degeneration that has engulfed the village. "We are particularly concerned at the uncontrolled filling of the river bank on both sides in the Ottawa section between R102 and the Ottawa Old Main Road. "We cannot allow this historic village to be destroyed by the lack of concern for the environment. The municipality must take urgent steps to clean up the litter and filth by consulting with the residents," he said. ends - Subry Govender Sept 11 2015