FLOODING: LOCAL AUTHORITIES BLAMED
AT LEAST 1 500 houses in Chitungwiza Municipality were built on wetlands owing to human error which could have been avoided if city fathers had followed the laid down laws of the land and taken guidance given by relevant planning authorities seriously, Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Mangaliso Ndhlovu has said.
This year’s theme for the World Wetlands Day is “Water and Wetlands - Inseparable for Life”,
Speaking during the commemorations of the World Wetlands Day which were held yesterday, the minister said the country was commemorating this day when nature was fighting back human encroachment into wetlands by responding to developmental and human activities on these sensitive ecosystems.
He said this has been observed by the current flooding of residential areas in major urban centres and even rural areas in the country.
“That is a true testimony of the vengeance of nature, like we have never seen before in recent history.
“Preliminary assessments have revealed that the current flooding is affecting over 250 households in areas around Budiriro 5 and 2, parts of Sunway City close to Zimre park, sections of Willowcreek and Goodhope in the Mount Hampden area, all being some of the affected suburbs in the City of Harare.
“About 1 500 houses in Chitungwiza Municipality are experiencing the same hostile flooding, in the sections of Unit N, Unit A, Unit M, Unit O and J, Zengeza 4 and Manyame area.
“Similar sad reports are coming from the cities of Mutare and Gweru. Indications are that about 10 houses in Chikanga area in Mutare are flooded whilst in Gweru 139 houses in areas such as Tinshell, Mambo, Claremont Park, Riverside, Nashville, Athnol and Woodlands were affected by the flooding.
“Rural communities have not been spared either, we will strengthen our oversight on communal settlements and I implore RDCs to provide clear guidelines on appropriate settlement areas
“These statistics all point to human error which could have been avoided, if city fathers had followed the laid down laws of the land, and taken guidance given by relevant planning authorities seriously.
“As Minister responsible for averting environmental related disasters I call upon all planning authorities both rural and urban to work closely with EMA in ensuring that, the Environmental Impact
Assessment legislation is adhered to in all developmental projects.”
Added Minister Ndlovu: “None compliance to this requirement will leave my Ministry without choice but to apply the law without fear or favour to stop future loss of property and human lives from such extreme weather events which according to climate change are predicted to become frequent and more severe as witnessed this rain season.
“Indeed, this is a sure sign that we cannot cheat nature and get off the hook; hence my plea to all citizens to follow due procedure before undertaking development activities in these ecosystems.
“Remember wetlands and water are inseparable and nature has a way of fighting back as is happening in residential areas built on wetlands where flooding is taking place.”
“This theme further highlights the umbilical relationship between wetlands and water; on how wetlands contribute to the quantity and quality of water on our planet.
“Mankind is facing a growing water crisis that threatens people and the planet. We are using more water than nature can replenish, and we are destroying the ecosystem (wetlands) that water and all life depend on most.”
February 2 of each year, is World Wetlands Day, a
day that is commemorated to mark the signing of the Treaty on the Conservation of Wetlands, which was signed on the 2nd of February 1971 in Ramsar, Iran.
The Treaty became popularly known as the Ramsar Convention and its major aim being to raise public awareness and foster conservation, proper utilisation and management of wetlands and their resources. Zimbabwe is a signatory to the Ramsar Convention hence joining the whole world each year in the commemoration of the World Wetlands day.
The Ramsar Convention is uniquely positioned to reverse the loss of global wetlands and preserve those that are still in their pristine state, hence as a country we religiously conform to this noble cause.