Two years ago, Auckland Council announced it would no longer
mow the verges, known locally as berms, handing responsibility for maintaining
them to local residents instead. Its seems some people became a little too
green-fingered for the local authority's liking, filling the patches of land
with flower beds, fruit trees and vegetables.
"Let's plant gardens so people can have access to
food," says Aucklander Richard Green, who grows vegetables and shares them
with his neighbours.
Now the agency in charge of regulating the verges, Auckland
Transport, wants to ban people from growing food on the land because of
concerns over vermin, and plans to require residents to apply for a NZ$150
($102; £66) permit before creating "berm gardens". The agency says
there's also a road safety risk. "It's people, little kids, running out
from behind tall-growing vegetables or plants, and running out onto the road and
getting hit by a car," spokesman Tony McCartney explained
World Socialist Party
(New Zealand):
New Website
New E-mail
nzsocialists@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment