Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sewilam affirmed the continued monitoring by the Nile River Protection and Development Sector to safeguard the Nile River and its two branches, stressing the immediate removal of any encroachments on the river course or its floodplain lands.
He added that there will be no tolerance for violations, given the Nile’s status as a vital artery of life and development for Egyptians.
The minister made the remarks after receiving a report from Head of the River Nile Protection and Development Sector Hossam Taher on ongoing removal operations targeting encroachments along the main Nile River and the Rosetta Branch within Giza governorate, as part of the National Project for Regulating the Nile River and its Branches, Egypt’s “Irrigation 2.0” modernisation.
According to the report, 39 cases involving the removal of concrete foundations of illegal buildings were carried out in Al-Qatta village in Giza governorate, covering a total area of 2,773 square meters.
The report also noted that removal operations are continuing on Nile floodplain lands in the areas of Manial Shiha and Abu El-Nomros in Giza, where 32 encroachment cases have so far been cleared.
These efforts were undertaken in coordination with the Committee for Rectifying Situations on Nile Floodplain Lands at the Shubra–Helwan sector, security authorities, and Giza Governorate.
The report added that previous removal campaigns along the Rosetta Branch resulted in the clearance of 339 cases of illegal construction.
The National Nile Regulation Project aims to restore the river’s hydraulic capacity to address water and climate challenges and to remove all encroachments.
It also seeks to reinforce state control over the river course, optimize the use of floodplain lands, define river management boundaries, including rehabilitation lines and restricted and prohibited zones, and provide accurate data on the riverbed and banks of the Nile and its branches.
