Follow the law and prevent urban mess

THE promise of jobs and prosperity, among other factors, pulls people to cities.
Half of the global population already lives in cities, and by 2050 two-thirds of the world’s people are expected to live in urban areas.
But in cities two of the most pressing problems facing the world today also come together: poverty and environmental degradation.
Poor air and water quality, insufficient water availability, waste-disposal problems, and high energy consumption are exacerbated by the increasing population density and demands of urban environments.
Strong city planning will be essential in managing these and other difficulties as the world’s urban areas swell.
The major cities and towns here in PNG have already become a jumble making it look like there is no planning at all these days when it comes to establishing or extending new urban development.
Take our national capital city as an example. It’s already a mess.
One area that has experienced a rapid development phase in what city authorities have termed as ad-hoc and unplanned in the entire Taurama Valley area including Tuna Bay and the End of the World.
Taurama Valley was a vacant land some 10 years ago and the Office of Urbanisation decided to do a pilot project to expand formal development over customary land under the National Urbanisation Policy.
A billboard was erected right beside the entrance of the road to Taurama Valley to notify the public and others of the Office of Urbanisation intention for this area.
The Office of Urbanisation commenced formulation of a subdivision plan within the framework of the National Capital District Urban Development Plan and got it approved by the NCD Physical Planning Board.
Regardless of countless efforts by Office of Urbanisation and the government to develop Taurama Valley, illegal land sale and development escalated. The landowners were and are still selling land like hot cakes not realising that they are selling their birth rights.
The buyers are developing and building as if this is their own rural villages.
They do not realise that there are established government policies, laws and regulations to control development in cities and towns.
Much of the developments in Tauruma Valley now are illegal because they are not approved by NCD Physical Planning Board and NCD Building Board.
Taurama Valley is within the boundaries of NCD and is subject to the Physical Planning Act.
All its developments should be within the framework of this legislation.
NCDC in the past months has taken out advertisements advising tenants and property owners, customary landowners of Taurama Valley, Tuna Bay and End of the World that it now plans to introduce proper planning into the area through its Physical Planning Office.
Currently, the area is an informal/unplanned settlement area making it difficult for service providers such as the NCDC, Eda Ranu and PNG Power to provide road infrastructure, reticulated water supply or sewerage infrastructure, storm water infrastructure and treatment.
Government authorities should not be by-passed by landowners and facilitate development with developers.
Every developer should consult the urban, provincial and other relevant government authorities before any development.