Minister gives councils ultimatum on pollution

GOVERNMENT has given local authorities a one-month ultimatum to stop pollution and ensure a healthy and clean environment in line with the Constitution or face litigation.

This comes as most towns and cities are festering with uncollected refuse, sewer blockages and discharge of harmful chemicals into water sources.

Speaking at the commissioning of the Kadoma landfill last Friday, Environment, Water and Climate Minister Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said most local authorities are abdicating their responsibility despite collecting millions in rates.

A fuming Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri said it was disheartening that local authorities expend collections on salaries when the health of the population is at stake.

“We see that the supreme law of Zimbabwe, the Constitution is not being followed. Zimbabweans are a docile lot, you remain quiet even in the face of violations,” said Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri.

“People continue to pollute the environment without being called to account. If it was in other countries, the councils could have been sued,” she said.

She said failing to provide for services that have been paid for is a “serious” offence.

Pollution, she said is now everywhere including water bodies, the streets and homes.

“With the level of education that we have, it is strange that we allow that to go on. It is painful to think about the dirt in our streets and in our towns. This time, I am descending heavily on them (councils),” she said.

“In one month only, I want to see clean cities or else I am going to be suing councils personally on behalf of the people of Zimbabwe. So, tighten up your belts. You cannot take the people for granted anymore.”

She said councils need to behave responsibly to ensure that the environment was protected.

Councils, she said need a paradigm shift in waste management adding that it could no longer be business as usual for councils.

The riot act also extended to the general public, which contributes to pollution through littering.

She said the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) should join hands with the police to ensure all vehicles have bins to avoid littering of roads.

“I say to the police, no more should we have people littering in a moving vehicle which means every vehicle should have a litter bin. They should now enforce that provision,” said the Minister.

Inspections will extend to households which are now expected to have refuse bins and called for design of bins that do not attract thieves.

She said Government was working on legal provisions to introduce mandatory community service for litter bugs in place of fines which range from $20 to $5 000.

She said the general populace’s health is being sacrificed for profit adding that Government was moving to give a voice to the people.

The City of Harare, she said, is collecting more than $10 million every month but very little of it was going towards service delivery.

She said dereliction of duty is shown by the poorly designed Pomona dumpsite, which caught fire due to uncontained gases.

People’s health and their investments in structure were affected by the fire.

Environmentally friendly waste management systems such as landfills should set up in all local authorities.

Landfills provide a proofing against seepage of waste into the environment, while presenting an opportunity for separation of waste for proper disposal.

Kadoma constructed a landfill at a cost of $350 000, which carries waste in five-year cycles for 20 years.

Director of health Mr David Chirundu said the landfill will ensure proper management of waste and present opportunities to make money from selling organic fertilisers.

Kadoma Mayor Muchineripi Chinyanganya said efforts were being made to improve the environment in the city.

While applauding Kadoma for constructing a landfill, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said the city needs to do a lot to manage sewerage through investing in equipment.

Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Faber Chidarikire said that construction of the Kadoma landfill is a milestone achievement in line with the infrastructure component in Zim-Asset economic blueprint.

Kadoma worked with partners such as German Agro Action and GIZ.