adminWith a potential to produce an average of 15 000 bricks every hour translating to about 400 000 bricks per day, the joint venture project between CUT and Wanjing Company from China is being set up at Hunyani Farm allocated to CUT under the land reform programme. EMA Education and Publicity manager Mr Steady Kangata confirmed the latest development saying any venture should adhere to environmental laws and had the potential to leave gullies once operations stop.
“I can confirm that as EMA we have ordered CUT to stop forthwith a brick moulding project at Hunyani Farm in terms of section 37 of the environmental statutes. The order is for them to stop forthwith until the requisite permission has been granted,” he said.
The venture, he said was supposed to present an environmental management plan and also operate under a licence. EMA says CUT misrepresented that it wanted to mould bricks to construct houses for its workers but had since started setting up a commercial venture without seeking the relevant approval. Some sources at the project alleged that the land was not arable and fell on a rain shadow but some scientists believe that the land had all the ingredients for successful agriculture as it fell in agro-ecological Region 2.
CUT vice chancellor Professor David Simbi confirmed receiving an order from EMA but said the move went against the overall goal of building an industrial base for Chinhoyi.
“We have made indications to EMA about what we want to do and the plans of what we want to do are there but we have to look at the overall goal of laying the future of Chinhoyi’s expansion through providing good quality bricks,” he said.
He said EMA would rather have small-scale brick molders silting rivers than allow a big commercial venture that will ensure that demand for bricks is met.
Online Reporter