Mud and slush wash out Diego residents

A Diego Martin businessman is accusing the developer of a land site near his place of commerce of not adhering to proper land development procedures, and is claiming that this lawlessness is resulting in massive flooding of an entire street each time there is heavy rain.

Richard Khan, the owner of a grocery and liquor store at Julien Park, Khan Avenue, located off the Diego Martin Main Road said yesterday that the developer graded some land above his home ten years ago, causing mud and slush to invade homes and his business place. The problem worsened recently though when the developer cut away more of the land.

Now according to Khan, a father of four, rain water is not able to drain off and thus, is flooding the homes of residents. Last week the land was graded again, he said, and after the rain, mud and slush were everywhere.

Houses and yards were mud-filled. Coupled with that, the developer had workmen dig retention ponds in the land to collect the water, but these have only caused the situation to deteriorate because the ponds have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Snakes are also reportedly taking up residence.

Khan told Newsday that he has written to the Diego Martin Regional Corporation about the situation and has not received a response. He said he even wrote to the Environmental Management Authority, but again to no avail. Fed up with the non-action of State agencies, he said he called his attorney Keith Scotland who is working on an injunction to prevent the developer from further grading of the land.

Khan said he feels that the situation could have been handled in a different manner by the relevant authorities. Checks with the Diego Martin Regional Corporation revealed that the matter is now “engaging the attention of the Corporation. “However, the developer Noel Mc Cune yesterday expressed surprise at the claims being made by Khan and dismissed all claims of a breach of proper land development.

He said that ever since he notified Khan that he had purchased the land from an aunt of Khan his problems started.

Mc Cune said that an attempt was made to buy back the land from him but he has no intention of selling.

He said that he has followed all the proper land development practices and the land in contention was cleared in such a way to ensure that the water course was not tampered with.

He pointed out that a drain was dug from his land to allow the water to run into the nearby river.

Mc Cune even took Newsday on a tour of his land yesterday.

“The original water course is still there, and we diverted some of the water by cutting a drain and directing the water to the river,” said Mc Cune. The businessman accused Khan of being in breach of proper land development procedures and pointed to a swimming pool dug at the back of Khan’s house.

He also dismissed claims of flooding at Julien Park and felt that the matter is being blown out of proportion.

Mc Cune even revealed that he has not had any communication from the Diego Martin Regional Corporation, the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) or any legal letter to stop him from completing his project.

He said he intends to build townhouses on the land and have a gated community.

It will be called La Montana Villas.