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Michell Zvanyanya, Chronicle Reporter
THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has embarked on a national campaign against activities conducted in wetlands under which people found developing infrastructure in those areas face fines of up to $30 000.
The Environmental Management Act provides for repeat offenders to be taken to court where they may also face up to a year in prison.
An EMA report has revealed that more than 79 percent of the available wetlands in Zimbabwe are severely degraded contributing to an ecological crisis in the country.
In a statement on Friday, EMA national spokesperson Ms Amkela Sidange said the exercise is aimed at promoting conservation of wetlands which provide critical environmental benefits in the country.
EMA has already issued more than eight tickets to offenders and 15 Environmental Protection Orders for similar offences in Harare with the aim of spreading to other provinces at the beginning of November.
“EMA is currently doing a blitz on activities taking place in wetlands. In the greater Harare province 15 Environmental Protection Orders have been issued to offenders and more than eight tickets have been issued for similar offences with fines ranging between level eight and 14. Level eight is $3 600, $4 800 for level nine, level 10 is $6 000, $7 500 for level 11, level 12 is $9 000, $15 000 for level 13 and repeat offenders may face level 14 fines of $30 000,” she said.
“Failure to comply with provisions of either the ticket or Environmental Protection Order, or both, will call for the opening of dockets for the offenders. This is an ongoing exercise, and going forward it will be coupled with monitoring of the already inspected wetlands.”
Ms Sidange said the prosecution measures seek to ensure all illegal activities occurring in wetlands are stopped as the agency is concerned about the high level of degradation of wetlands.
She expressed concern over the level of degradation of wetlands in the country, saying the agency is targeting to restore wetland use integrity in Harare and Chitungwiza.
“Zimbabwe is home to approximately 1 271 wetlands, covering three percent of the total land area of the country. Despite this seemingly small geographic extent, wetlands provide some of the most critical ecosystem services to a large number of communities in both urban and rural areas. Of the available wetlands, a meagre 21 percent are stable while 18 percent are severely degraded and 61 percent moderately degraded, and this goes to show the degree of ecological crisis the country is facing,” said Ms Sidange.
Other than prosecution, EMA has embarked on other measures in an effort to bring to an end wetland degradation and promote sustainable wetland utilisation.
“Some of the activities that the Agency is conducting include developing National Wetlands Utilisation Guidelines which aim to provide management of urban and rural wetlands, supporting sustainable wetland utilisation initiatives and identifying wetlands in Zimbabwe of international importance and declaring them as Ramsar Wetlands so that they remain protected with minimal human interference,” she said.
The Ramsar convention was signed in Iran in 1982. The convention was on the sustainable utilisation and wise use of wetlands. In line with the convention, the Ramsar wetlands are identified as wetlands of importance in the country and are protected from human interference to promote their utilisation.
Ms Sidange urged members of the public to avoid cultivating within wetlands and along stream banks ahead of the rainy season.
“Cultivation should be done 30m away from the high flood level of a stream or river. All those found to be violating this law will be prosecuted,” she said. —@michellzvanyanyan2
Online Reporter