adminChristine Chinhanhu
THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has urged local authorities to set aside land to extract sand for commercial purposes considering that over 800 hectares of Harare’s land has been affected by sand poachers.
EMA’s Environmental Education and Publicity Manager, Amkela Sidange, said local authorities must set aside sites for land extraction so as to allow monitoring.
“Local authorities are mandated by law to set aside designated sites for sand abstraction to allow for abstraction to be done in a regulated manner and these sites should be registered with EMA to allow for monitoring,” she said.
The agency is threatening to sue culprits who practice sand abstraction without licences and also on illegal sites.
“Sand extraction also requires a license with EMA. Anyone found extracting sand in an undesignated site and or without a licence, or both, will be prosecuted,” she added.
Currently, the agency is working in conjunction with the Zimbabwe Republic Police and local authorities to ensure that sand abstraction on illegal places does not happen.
“The Agency is currently carrying out a blitz exercise on illegal sand abstraction in partnership with ZRP and local authorities across the country,” said Sidange.
The agency has managed to sue over 47 people and 28 vehicles were seized while some cases are still pending at court.
“A total of 47 offenders have since been issued with tickets up to Level 14 for violating regulations on sand abstraction.
“In the process 28 vehicles used in illegal sand abstraction have been impounded.
“A total of three cases in Harare were referred to the High Court and one case has since been finalised and two are still pending. The huge open pits from illegal sand abstraction puts the health and safety of the public at risk.
“There are fatalities due to drowning in these pits have been recorded across the country as well as the same pits becoming breeding points for diseases causing vectors such as mosquitoes, “ she said.
The agency is engaging in education and awareness programmes to communities and sand miners.
“The agency is in engagement with local authorities to integrate sand mining into their masterplans and to be considered as part of the development, develop Local Environmental Action plans (LEAPS) as provided in Section 95 of the Environmental Management Act (CAP 20:27) and infuse sustainable sand abstraction, education and awareness to communities and sand miners and multi stakeholder monitoring of sand and abstraction, including adhoc law enforcement blitz, to fight illegal sand poaching.
“Sand remains a valuable resource and is in abundance but local authorities should guard it judiciously by ensuring extracting is done in a responsible manner without harming the environment and this can be enforced through gazetted laws,” she said.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter