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Resettlement areas tops the list of veld fires
27 Oct 2015 at 06:27hrs | Views
Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri has lamented that the resettlement areas particularly in Mashonaland West topped the list of areas which have been seriously affected by veld fires this year.
Speaking during Senate seating, Muchinguri Kashiri said veld fire to the ministry was a nuisance because it destroys property, lives and it causes serious environmental challenges and pollution to an extent.
"This is not the first time this question has been posed but still I think it is important, considering the losses that we have incurred in terms of the pastures," she said. "It is very sad to report that we have lost more than 1 500 000 ha of land and Mashonaland West is top on that list. Unfortunately, it is the resettlement areas or farmers who are the culprits, regrettably. We have lost so far about 20 lives. These are mainly women and children. My heart bleeds, despite the efforts that we are putting in place where we have put Committees in place, where we are sending out messages, I am sure you receive these text messages."
She said they have radio and television programmes but people are not taking heed of our call.
"Again we are worried about the sentences which are extended. Chiefs have been doing a marvelous job, charging all those culprits with fines, very serious ones in some cases. I want to applaud the role that the chiefs have been playing in their respective areas. I hope they will continue. We have been incentivizing those areas that have kept their areas away from veld fires by extending bicycles to chiefs, cellphones, putting up gardens and extending beehives to make sure that others who are in the habit of causing these veldfires learn from good practices," she said.
Muchinguri Kashiri said currently, they have been looking at the possibility of beefing up the Forestry Act because this is where we find types of fines that should be imposed by courts.
"We discovered that an offence would call for a US$300 fine when that culprit would have destroyed many hectares of land and caused the loss of lives," she said. "We are recommending to Cabinet a mandatory sentence of not less than five years. We are comparing this with the sentences on livestock that they call for nine years. Once that issue is approved by Cabinet and the chiefs, then we will bring it before Parliament."
Speaking during Senate seating, Muchinguri Kashiri said veld fire to the ministry was a nuisance because it destroys property, lives and it causes serious environmental challenges and pollution to an extent.
"This is not the first time this question has been posed but still I think it is important, considering the losses that we have incurred in terms of the pastures," she said. "It is very sad to report that we have lost more than 1 500 000 ha of land and Mashonaland West is top on that list. Unfortunately, it is the resettlement areas or farmers who are the culprits, regrettably. We have lost so far about 20 lives. These are mainly women and children. My heart bleeds, despite the efforts that we are putting in place where we have put Committees in place, where we are sending out messages, I am sure you receive these text messages."
She said they have radio and television programmes but people are not taking heed of our call.
"Again we are worried about the sentences which are extended. Chiefs have been doing a marvelous job, charging all those culprits with fines, very serious ones in some cases. I want to applaud the role that the chiefs have been playing in their respective areas. I hope they will continue. We have been incentivizing those areas that have kept their areas away from veld fires by extending bicycles to chiefs, cellphones, putting up gardens and extending beehives to make sure that others who are in the habit of causing these veldfires learn from good practices," she said.
Muchinguri Kashiri said currently, they have been looking at the possibility of beefing up the Forestry Act because this is where we find types of fines that should be imposed by courts.
"We discovered that an offence would call for a US$300 fine when that culprit would have destroyed many hectares of land and caused the loss of lives," she said. "We are recommending to Cabinet a mandatory sentence of not less than five years. We are comparing this with the sentences on livestock that they call for nine years. Once that issue is approved by Cabinet and the chiefs, then we will bring it before Parliament."
Source - Byo24News
