Police roadblocks litter hotspots Ema

THE Environmental Management Agency (Ema) has noted with concern that police roadblock points along major highways are becoming litter hotspots, a situation that reflects badly of police attitude towards environmental crimes.

Speaking during a ZRP/Ema national stakeholder capacity building workshop in Kwekwe last week, Ema Ecosystems Protection and Solid Waste Manager Mr Christopher Mushava urged ZRP members to consider environmental crimes seriously and arrest people who throw litter at undesignated points.

“It is disheartening to note that some police officers throw litter at roadblock points or let perpetrators of littering go scot free. It is your duty as law enforcement agencies to spearhead environmental stewardship,” said Mr Mushava.

He said environmental law was one of the areas of the administration of justice but law enforcement agencies including the judiciary were least equipped to handle it, whether by way of concept, procedures, background information or access to relevant materials

He said while judges are critical in arbitration and conflict resolution they cannot achieve this mandate by themselves.

“Their knowledge of the facts rests on the evidence before them, and their understanding is informed by the issues and arguments presented. Indeed even a well informed and effective judiciary amounts to relatively little if cases are not brought forward to the courts,” he said.

“Law enforcement agencies such as ZRP, is therefore one of the critical building blocks towards a clean, safe and healthy environment as provided by Section 73 of the Constitution,” he said.