adminTawanda Mangoma in Chiredzi
The Environmental Management Agency has fined Chiredzi Town Council $10 000 for relocating vendors to sites with no toilets and proper dumping facilities.
There are fears that the move by council might trigger an outbreak of cholera in the town.
EMA district officer for Chiredzi Mr Peter Mugodi said council repeatedly ignored calls to provide rubbish bins at all vegetable markets and vending sites to curb illegal dumping of litter in the town.
“Most areas in this town are covered by litter and council is not making any effort to collect it, raising the spectre of diseases,” he said.
Mr Mugodi said his organisation decided to penalise council after exhausting all channels.
“We fined them $5 000 for failure to collect garbage and avail rubbish bins at all vending sites,” he said.
“The other $5 000 is for environmental pollution as council has been allowing raw sewage to flow from septic tanks, and this is not acceptable, especially in public places like vegetable markets.”
Chiredzi Town Council chairman Councillor Francis Moyo said his council was working flat out to address the issue of uncollected garbage before the situation exploded into a crisis.
“Council received complaints from vendors and residents regarding the state of Mabanana Green Vegetables Market,” he said.
“We responded by availing a refuse collection truck that collects garbage from the area daily and our team of planners is busy working on modalities of relocating the septic tanks to another site.’’
Residents lashed out at council for failing to use the money it collects through fees paid by vendors daily to improve their vending sites.
Online Reporter