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Fungai Lupande Mashonaland Central Bureau
The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has denied claims by communities around the Mavuradonha wilderness that they were not consulted in the setting up of Makura 100 Chrome mine in the area.
Environmental Education and Publicity Officer Mr Maxwell Mupotsa said the issuance of the Environmental Impact Assessment was done following wide consultations with the local authority and the community.
He said the first certificate issued by EMA was in 2015 and had three special conditions, but due to the dynamic environmental issues and changes on the renewal of the licence, three additional conditions were added, considering Muzarabani Rural District Council’s (RDC) verbal input.
“These were communicated to the RDC so that they also monitor compliance and in any case of non-compliance they would inform EMA,” said Mr Mupotsa.
“The current conditions on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate emanated from the memorandum of agreement from the initial application done by the RDC and the proponent Afrochine.
“In the province, this is not the first project to operate in harmony with wildlife zones, with stipulated demarcations and ways of operating which allow mutual conservation benefits.
“This also promotes multiple GDP sources for both the province and the nation in line with National Development Strategy 1 on mineral extraction as long as it is being done in an environmentally sustainable manner.
“EMA commits itself to continuous monitoring on the operations being done by the proponent against the set conditions in the certificate of the EIA to ensure compliance and sustainability.
“We are to communicate on issues or any developments which affect the environment and will assess and make definable action. We urge members of the public to verify facts with us first so that the media’s final report is factual not opinion and hearsay.”
Online Reporter