By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Chingola Municipal Council (CMC) planning department has recommended partial degazzation of Luano forest.
This is in order to curb the mushrooming illegal developments on the forest.
CMC Director Planning Dorothy Kalaba said the proposed area to be degazzeted has been heavily deforested and encroached.
Ms Kalaba above said the area of degazzation is outside the active ZAFFICO forest plantations.
She said this during the special District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) meeting.
Ms Kalaba said the encroached portion of the forest reserve is fast attracting squatters and the close proximity of the forest reserve to the residential and commercial properties.
She said the area in question is a prime area situated just along Kitwe Road and if it remains unplanned it will consist of haphazard infrastructural development.
“In an effort to bring sanity and to attract proper infrastructural developments along Kitwe road the council recommends degazzation of the encroached portion so that it is properly re-planned,” she said.
The DDCC was in agreement with the proposal.
During the time of land audit by planning department a total of 124 structures were found to have been illegally built on the said portion by squatters.
