CHARCOAL BURNING WORRIES N/WEST DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION
THE District Administration in Mushindamo District has expressed concern over the increase of indiscriminate charcoal burning in the area.
Mushindamo district Administrative Officer Oscar Mugala told the Daily Nation yesterday that the charcoal business had increased in the district and had resulted in the cutting of trees at a large scale.
Mr Mugala said the situation was getting out of hand as it was attracting buyers as far as the Copperbelt province. He said charcoal burning business had become a very lucrative trade in the district which was now posing a danger to the environment.
He said he had of late observed thousands of charcoal bags lined along the Solwezi- Chingola road and stacks of charcoal heaped in villages in readiness for sale, saying this was a worrisome situation.
‘’We are really concerned as a district with the indiscriminate cutting of trees for charcoal in the area because if the situation continues, the environment will be completely destroyed,’’ Mr Mugala said. He said there was need for other stakeholders to come on board and help sensitize the people on the negative effects of charcoal burning environment.
‘’The situation calls for concerted efforts from all stakeholders because leaving it to government alone through the department of Forestry will not help at all,’’ he added. to the