”Because of water level that is eating up the site and the road reserved as well as neighbouring home we thought it wise to first put a hold on the activity to avoid calamity that may occur," Mrs.Susan Acio Eyura said. "beside town council getting revenue from the activity life and road must be saved first," she added
Speaking to Hot FM news desk on 14th June 2024 the town clerk Mrs. Acio Susan said that with immediate effect they have closed the site due to the threats imposed on them by raising water level.
Vice chairperson Namasale town council Hon. Jolly Odongo said they have come up with a bylaw that whoever forcefully involved his/her self in the activity will face 12 month jailed or equivalent to money.
Meanwhile the sub county physical planner Gorge Lawrence Ogwang said they took a survey and realized the condition if the place was beyond control people were indiscriminately removing the sand to the extent that they were now encroaching on to the road reserve.
He added that the increase of water level also affected the area which is very substantial to fall b3cause it is absorbing water that will automatically weaken it causing calamity.
Mr. George Lawrence said that the hole being created is not being filled up which is a health harzrd to the community.
He added that for long they have trained people on how to carry out healthy mining but never use.
He therefore asked those who use to getting their daily bread from Oribcan mining site to look for another alternative or another place as they first fix the issue at hand.
Mayor Namasale town Council Godfrey Ayena said they blocked sand mining to study the water level that's threatening life and plantation.
He added that they will registered the affected miners and request the government to help them since their gardens are too taken up by raising water level.
However the local council chairperson one of Oribcan Otok Francis said he is not against the town council operation on closing the site But they should know there were group of women and youth who use to live because of the sand mining.
He asked the town council authority to forged Way forward and give the people what to do.
Meanwhile Sarah Ajibu said she does not know how life will take because it was the source of her daily bread.
Sarah added that she is keeping granddaughter of a month whose mother is mad and has no one to help her if not sand mining.
As well Esther Okello said she now lives in worries since the water level has taken all her plantation
She thanked the town council authority for saving her adding that anytime Oribcan may all be flooded and no one leaves in.
Also Jennifer Apio said she has orphans she is taking care off since she has been feeding them on sand mining.
Dickens Okello said because of sand mining his house is falling on him since the miners dug under his house.
However the youth who were angered by closure said since they have nothing to do but need to eat they will steal.
This sand mining sites see people coming as far as Lira to collect the sand.
