Constructed drain now a menace

A MAN-MADE disaster is affecting the livelihood of 4,000 Labu-Butu villagers who live opposite the Lae port after the Markham river damaged their gardens, homes and split the village in two.
A temporary feeder road was built to connect the village to the Bulolo highway just past the Markham bridge. It has been used by companies and developers since 2004.
But it has come back to haunt the people.
The road was built alongside the Markham river by Dekenai Construction after the intervention of now Chief Secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc and Governor Luther Wenge.
After two years of complaints by the villagers, the provincial administration contracted R and Sons to build a series of drainages into the river.
But the drainage and parts of the road now act as inlets for the river which has diverted its course at several points.
Villagers say a series of walls built on the eastern bank of the river by contractors at Markham Bridge and business houses along the Miles area have diverted the river current.
They said the feeder road and walls made out of storage and freight containers were poorly engineered and several loose containers were in the river, which had now covered their traditional gardening land.
The village is now divided with roughly 20 houses pushed towards the river delta.
Four houses have been washed away as a result of the river and inflow.
Local councillor Tipi said the community urgently needed the district and provincial administrations and provincial disaster and emergency services to come up with some solution.
Provincial Disaster and Emergency Services officials visited the village to do an initial assessment last Friday.