Villagers of Nakavu in Namosi are raising serious concerns regarding the impact of gravel extraction that is happening along the Navua River, which has affected their daily lives.
Speaking to fijivillage News at Nakavu Village today, 59-year-old Mateo Veredamu said the beautiful scenery that he used to see when he was young has now vanished and now a lot of river landslips are happening whenever there is heavy rain or flooding.
He says the gravel extraction has also reduced the area of the village because the last house in their village is now just a few metres away from the river.
Veredamu says it has also affected the businesses of boat drivers because the river has become very shallow.
He adds that some villagers might not be aware of the impact of this as they are only concerned about development rather than conserving our natural resources that can benefit future generations.
He hopes that the company that is doing the extraction thinks hard about their actions and its impact.
Veredamu says the extraction should stop for a while and an investigation should be conducted into the impact of the actions on the natural resources.
21-year-old Maikeli Turagakula says the gravel extraction happening upstream is affecting the business of the boat drivers.
He says the river has become shallow, making it difficult for boat drivers to take tourist tours to see the beauty of Namosi.
Turagakula adds that this has also affected villagers who rely on the river as their only means of access.
The 21-year-old claims that some rivers in the Namosi highlands have dried up because of the changes happening in Namosi.
They are calling for urgent action by the authorities.
We have sought comments from the Department of Environment and Minister for Lands, Filimoni Vosarogo.
Stay with us for developments.
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