Green Times

Douala is an industrial zone which needs trees to reduce emitted gases.«Ouh! The sun is scorching”. “It is so hot”. People have been complaining lately in Douala. These statements are made everyday especially during the afternoons when the sun is at its peak. One thing is certain, climatic conditions in Douala have changed and there must be reasons for this.

The Provincial Delegate of the Environment and Nature Protection of Littoral, Deli Koumai, says the climate change is an issue affecting the world. He says some indicators, narrowing down to Douala which happens to be an industrial zone. The greenhouse effect as well as pollution from the industries are exacerbated because there are no trees in the industrial zones of Bassa and Bonaberi to destroy some of the gas.

Koumai also says the planting of trees helps pervert desertification and erosion which destroy the soil, leading to a drop in yields thereby causing a continuous increase in prices of food stuff. He advises that industrial workers in Douala should be sensitised especially on the depositing of industrial waste in the sea, because this affects biodiversity.

The delegation is also in total disagreement with the City Council for cutting down the trees at Ancien Dalip in Akwa, because according to him theses trees served as shades to the scorching heat now in Douala. It was said the City Council felled the trees because they wanted to plant trees which will suit the urbanisation pattern. But Koumai argues that they were supposed to be felled at once, rephrasing that choice of trees depends on the objective of planting and the problem which needs to be solved, whether to beautify the town or fight erosion.
Source: All Africa, US