Work has begun on fencing off a part of a green space in the municipality of Jzania for an industrial project related to the production of advertising boards.
According to Advisor Zakaria Abu Al-Najatah, the area in question had undergone preparation and equipping in previous years, which included installing children’s playground equipment, concrete benches, and public lighting poles, as part of a program overseen by the former governor of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, Mohamed Mehidiya, aimed at providing green spaces for the residents of poorer neighborhoods. However, the community is now watching as part of the park is being encroached upon.
What is happening?
According to the advisor, in addition to the process of fencing the park, a sign has been installed indicating that the building permit was issued in 2020, during the era of the previous municipal council led by Ahmed Idrissi. The permit has only recently begun to be utilized, five whole years after it was granted.
The advisor described what is happening as “lawlessness” and confirmed that this is not an isolated incident but rather part of an “urban lawlessness” targeting the community’s right to a healthy environment and living spaces.
So far, no official comment has been issued by local authorities or the municipality of Jzania regarding the nature of the project or the measures that may be taken to compensate residents for the area that has been cut off.
This incident comes at a time when the city of Tangier is still suffering from a severe lack of green spaces compared to World Health Organization standards, bringing back to the forefront the discussion about the mechanisms for granting permits on public or semi-public lands, and the extent to which principles of sustainable urban planning are respected.
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