The Works and Transport Minister, Gen.  Edward Katumba Wamala has tasked National Environmental Management Authority -NEMA officials to impose a blockade of 200 meters from the shores across all the water bodies in the country to save the government from related disasters.

Katumba was at Nalubaale & Kira complex on Tuesday morning to inspect the ongoing works to clear the floating island that docked on Tuesday last week affecting the operations of Nalubaale, Kiira and Bujjagali power dams.

He also visited the Jinja Pier to ascertain the progress of methods being used to yield the island which is one of the precautionary measures against the floating island.

According to Pius Wakabi Kasajja the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries-MAAIF, they have provided three Long arm excavators, two Barges, one Ferry, one Hydraulic crane, three self-loading trucks, 4 Dump trucks (20ton) and one Bulldozer for clearing the staging area.

There are several floating islands on Lake Victoria, which has prompted engineers to employ push boats that can easily enable their excavators to uproot them on the shores.

George Musinguzi, the Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF Spokesperson in the Busoga sub-region, says they have teamed up with experts from the National Environment Management Authority and National Fisheries Resources Research institute-NAFIRRI to ensure that their operations are nondestructive to aquatic life.

The UPDF marine unit has also deployed several divers to assess the extent of mud built up in Lake Victoria and River Nile.

The divers, who started their assignment on Tuesday evening, will also assess the threats of the current debris to aquatic life in the country’s major water bodies.