Gweru city to relocate dumpsite

GWERU City Council will, beginning next month, decommission its dumpsite in Woodlands Park as it will now be surrounded by suburbs when Mkoba 21 project starts next year, an official has said.

There have been complaints from residents in the new Woodlands Park suburbs about the health concerns over the continued use of Gweru’s dumpsite, which emits toxic gasses into the suburbs.

In an i nterview yesterday, Gweru City Council acting town clerk Mr Vakai Douglas Chikwekwe said an environmental healthy committee comprising the city council, Environmental Management Agency EMA, Vungu Rural District Council and the department of lands had already identified land to relocate the dumpsite.

He said with the dumpsite now surrounded by suburbs, there was a resolution to decommission it beginning 2018.

“A committee has already put forward recommendations to the new Provincial Affairs Minister to relocate the dumpsite to be in the outskirts of the city as it is now surrounded by the suburbs,” said Mr Chikwekwe.

“With the new Mkoba 21 project in sight, its now no longer healthy to continue using the traditional dumpsite which is now within the city.”

Mr Chikwekwe said the local authority was concerned about the situation at Woodlands Park, and was making efforts to make sure that the dumpsite was decommissioned soon.

“While we recognise the health hazards associated with the set up in Woodlands Park, the area is under Vungu RDC and was developed by a private developer, but as council we need to move in and address the normally,” he said.

Woodlands Park residents have peti- tioned Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Owen Ncube about the health hazard that the dumpsite has continued to pose on them.

The Herald is in possession of the letter which was copied to the Environment Management Agency (EMA) and Gweru mayor councillor Charles Chikozho.

“We have been exposed to a serious health hazard for a long time, with the local authority, where we pay rates, taking its time to take action,” the residents said.

“We appeal to your honourable office to kindly assist us in this matter which we think is urgent.”