Manal Awad, Egypt's Minister of Local Development and Environment, on Tuesday, dismissed El-Sayed Hamza, the head of the center and city of Desouk in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate. This decision was made following the discovery of several trees being cut down near the Edfeina dams in the city.
Investigation of the Incident
Minister Awad also ordered that the entire incident be referred to the relevant investigative authorities and coordinated with the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation to ensure that those involved would be investigated. Images published online show workers cutting down mature trees around the Edfeina dams in the Metoubas area and loading them onto a truck, likely for sale.
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El-Sayed Hamza's Response
In response to his dismissal, Hamza stated that the Edfeina dams fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Irrigation, not the city council. He said, "I have no authority over the dams; I can't even remove a nail from the site without consulting them."
He explained about the incident: "These events began on September 1; a pruning committee from the Irrigation Department cut down 53 trees in the dam area between September 1 and 8, loading them onto their vehicles and transporting them to the department's warehouses. This occurred before the cabinet's decision to prohibit tree cutting."
Arrest of the Suspects
Security forces from the Western Security Directorate also arrested three individuals accused of cutting down a large tree near the Industrial School in El-Mahalla. This action was taken following a complaint filed by the local administration.
The Western Security Director formed a task force to resolve this case and reviewed CCTV footage from the area. It was found that three individuals, including a timber merchant, a retired local government employee, and a residential building guard, were involved in this act. They had colluded to sell the wood from the cut tree.
Investigators successfully arrested the suspects and initiated legal proceedings, referring them to the investigative authorities. Additionally, the Ministry of Agriculture announced that no trees were cut down in the fish garden in Zamalek, and all trees and plants there are in good condition, except for one tree that fell due to the natural end of its life.
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