By Tapiwanashe Mulenga
Villagers in Zaloba farming area along Matobo road are appealing to environmental authorities to assist in stopping Illegal mining activities which are blamed for an increase in cases of deforestation and veld fires.
With the dry season now stretching and in full swing, villagers in the Zaloba rural settlements are calling for help from the government and Environmental Management Agency (EMA) in curbing veld fires which are destroying animal feeds, shelter and threatens human life.
Most veld fires in the Midlands province, are experienced in mining areas such as Shurugwi, Gweru, Kwekwe, Zvishavane, and illegal mining is sighted as one of the causes.
The existing fire guards are no match to the tall bushes and grass and with the continued illegal mining practices in the Zaloba area.
In an interview with The Sun Crew, Mr. Tulani Ncube who owns a plot in the farming area, along Matobo road said that miners burn the bush in order to enable convenient dictating of gold.
“These miners use fire to pave way for gold dictators and machines which ends up spreading everywhere and burning away the little grazing ground we have, I don’t know why they interfere with our farming practices and most of them are not from our locality,” said Mr Ncube
EMA has been inundated with complaints about massive deforestation taking place in the province together with the Forestry Commission. There is a need for sustainable use of natural resources.
There are laws that govern the issues of land protection according to EMA. “Statutory instruments used to control deforestation and veld fires include the Forest Act chapter (19:05), Communal Land Forest Produce
Act chapter (19:04). Traditional leaders use the traditional leaders’ Act (cap 29:07),” EMA said in a statement.
According to recent surveys carried out by the Forestry Commission, about 33- 35 000 hectares are destroyed annually either for energy, tobacco, and veld fires.
