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By Joyce Mukucha
The invasion of wetlands through illegal construction of houses and buildings as well as land degradation resulting from unlawful sand extraction is quite disturbing in the City of Chitungwiza.
The disastrous developments were witnessed by Spiked Online Media during a media tour which was organised by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists(ZUJ) on Friday.
In as much as wetland invasion is concerned, this publication observed that there are flooded houses in Unit O Extension near the Duri stream and Zengeza 4 Pagomba where some houses are already finished whilst others are almost complete.
In an interview, the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) Provincial Environment Manager for Harare, Robson Mavondo said there should be no construction of houses on any wetland. He said it was unfortunate that local residents who invaded the wetland face relocation is spite of huge investments in building the properties.
“Building or construction of houses in streambanks and wetlands is not allowed. As you can see here there is a small stream passing through and cutting across the houses. In terms of the law, there should be no activity 30 metres from the stream, and if you check these houses are within 30 metres of the stream.
“This year we had heavy rains and all these houses were flooded. Nature was revenging. This is what we mean when we say wetlands and streams are not supposed to be tampered with because we know that nature always has a way of revenging.
“All these people are supposed to be moved from this area. If you check their investment it means they have lost a lot because have completed or are about to finish construction. They blatantly invaded the area without a wetland utilisation letter from EMA. In other words, they are illegal settlers,” said Mavondo.
He urged the Town Council to demolish all the illegal structures to avoid the perennial floods. He said if responsible local authorities fail to comply, EMA will then let the law take its course.
“Council is bound to demolish all these structures. We approached the local authorities and landowners. We served an order to the council to demolish these structures. At the moment, local authorities are making an effort and are still identifying land to relocate these people. If they fail to comply we are going to open a docket with the police.”
EMA Environmental Education and Publicity Officer, Batsirai Sibanda said the agency was working tirelessly to ensure capacitation of local residents in terms of awareness.
She said EMA was spearheading environmental awareness campaigns, school talks as well as conducting media tours.
“We have been conducting awareness campaigns as well as environmental leap training with the residents for Chitungwiza. In 2018, we covered all environmental issues with the residents and Councillors.
“We are in the process of engaging Chitungwiza Municipality to have another training because we feel 2018 is a long time back so we need to do a refresher course with the residents to sensitise them on environmental issues,” Sibanda said.
In its tracking assessment, EMA recorded positive results as shown by the feedback from residents.
“There is a complaints feedback register. Residents are now aware of the environment and their environmental rights so I think the awareness campaigns have been embraced and the residents are responding because 95 percent of the offenses which are committed are reported by the residents.”
She also pointed out that EMA now has the National Wetlands Map which is yet to be gazetted and the policy which will guide local authorities in as much as land allocation and development of structures is concerned.
“As EMA, we now have the National Wetlands Map which is yet to be gazetted and the policy is also waiting to be gazetted but in place now.
“Those are the two things we did not have previously. With the National Wetlands Map, local authorities will be able to plan using that map and the policy in any development because the map is now there.
“As a law enforcement agency, we try by all means to follow the law. Our procedures are straightforward. We engage local authorities because they are the landowners. If they approve, it now comes back to us so that we conduct ecological assessments. We also check on our map if the land supposed to be developed is a wetland or not.”
Chitungwiza Residents Trust representative, Michael Ruzvidzo said EMA should strengthen its policies to ensure that wetlands are protected.
“As a law enforcement agency, EMA plays a critical role in trying to make sure that the environment is protected. It has good policies but I urge the agency to put more effort and ensure that when they implement something, they finish it. I encourage them to do their work with more authority,” he said.
Pertaining to illegal sand extraction, this publication witnessed that in Chitungwiza there is a lot of such poaching activities resulting in land degradation.
There is disturbing land degradation at Chivanga site where there are haphazard open pits due to the failure to rehabilitate the area by the operator as he failed to comply with the Environmental Management Plan.
Mavondo highlighted that the level of land degradation in Chitungwiza particularly at the site was not acceptable explaining. He said EMA did not renew Chivanga’s license or grant him another license to operate in other places until he first rehabilitates the area as stated in the Environmental Management Plan.
“The extent of land degradation in Chitungwiza due to illegal sand extraction is too much. Here at Chivanga site, it was a registered site and for it to be registered, they have to submit an Environmental Management Plan, a plan which states how they are going to rehabilitate the area after sand mining of which actually their license expired and they wanted to renew it and we didn’t because the person didn’t follow what is in the Environmental Management Plan.
“As you can see there are a lot of pits here which he was supposed to backfill according to the plan. He was the only person registered in Chitungwiza but because he didn’t follow what is written in the Environmental Management Plan which is submitted to EMA that is rehabilitating the area, the agency denied him to renew his license and did not issue him with a license for another place until he follows what is in the plan.”
Mavondo urged those willing to do sand mining to approach EMA so that they get registered to operate legally and follow what is stated by the Environmental Management Plan.
“To those willing to register with EMA, it is important to rehabilitate the area they have operated in or otherwise they do not get license renewals. We will make sure that we force commitment to rehabilitate the areas by not renewing operating licenses.”
He also emphasised that council must put security in sites like these to avoid sand poaching and haphazard pits reiterating that illegal sand mine extraction does not only contribute to environmental degradation but also cause negative impacts to the infrastructure.
In collaboration with the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Mavondo told the media, EMA conducted an operation where 115 trucks of illegal sand extraction were impounded and 80 sand poachers who were operating without licenses were apprehended.