adminThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has partnered with the police in launching a blitz on litter bugs as it moves to promote clean environments.
The agency’s environmental education and publicity manager Ms Amkela Sidanke said in a statement yesterday that they were currently targeting those engaged in poor waste management, mismanagement of hazardous substances, air pollution and other environmental violations.
She said they launched the blitz on August 19 and is expected to end on August 31.
Ms Sidanke said so far they had covered areas in Masvingo, Midlands and Beitbridge in Matabeleland South.
“As of now we have conducted 531 inspections in Masvingo and Gweru, where 78 percent of these were compliant with environmental regulations,” she said.
“The 22 percent who were non-compliant were prosecuted for various environmental offences such as illegal use of expanded polystyrene (also known as kaylite), producing emission above the specified limits into the environment as specified in the Environmental Management Act as well as poor waste management practices.
“In addition, public conveyance vehicles such as buses and commuter omnibuses were inspected for the availability of bins for use by passengers as provided for by the law.
“This is meant to reduce roadside littering along the highways. As a result, the agency issued orders and 32 tickets for violating the provisions of the Environmental Management Act (CAP 20:27).The operation is ongoing, and is now covering Gweru and Beitbridge.”
Ms Sidanke added that the programme was part of routine operations on law enforcement.
She said they will continue to descending hard on environmental offenders in order to achieve their vision of a clean, safe and healthy environment.
The manager said prosecution was one of the command and control instruments of environmental management which ensures the minimisation of environmental pollution.
“It is everyone’s responsibility to maintain the integrity of the environment through taking stock of our environmental footprints.
“Let’s take pride in our environment and together protect it,” said Ms Sidanke.
Online Reporter