Sir,
When we suffered a fierce fire at Souni it was, for the residents, developers and builders alike, a traumatic experience. In the space of a few minutes many of us saw the devastating effects of fire and high wind. Thankfully no one was killed and no houses were destroyed. Considerable damage was done to the environment and property. When the fire services eventually arrived their actions were well planned and co-ordinated.
The response time the area of Souni was unfortunately lengthened by the fact that an alternative road, originally asked for by the villagers in the 1980s and planned for in 2001, has yet to materialise. The residents were so concerned about being caught like mice in a bottle with only one escape route that a meeting was called to ascertain progress on this issue.
One developer, who had a personal interest in ensuring that the new road was completed, explained that it has been a painfully slow process. He had recorded every stage where he had been involved. He did, however, state that this plan was in the final stages and that he and the other developers were willing to pay for this road. He also said that, providing the planning authorities gave this their immediate attention then there would be no reason to delay the project and that it should be completed by Christmas 2008.
After this meeting, our Mukhtar asked to meet with officials from the District Office to ascertain the official position. Members of our Residents’ Association Committee were kindly invited to attend. It transpires that the official view is diametrically opposite to that of the developer and that no planning permission has been granted and it would be at least two years before any road construction could begin. At this meeting, it transpired that an alternative route into Souni was asked for by the residents some 28 years ago!
The issue to the concerned residents remains very simple. We wish for a relief road to be built within this year in order for emergency services to be able to respond within a reasonable time frame. Such a road would also provide us with an alternative escape route from fire. The Association will continue to investigate why this apparent bureaucratic disaster has occurred and reserve the right to ensure it receives the publicity within Europe that it deserves.
The Chairman
Souni/Zanadja Residents’ Association
