Brick moulding pose environmental threat in Chimanimani

A serious environment degradation has taken toll in Nyanyadzi area, Chimanimani district as villagers engage in rampant brick moulding exercise and are also debarking baobab trees as a source of income generating.

Huge gullies have been formed and left unattended posing dangers not only to human beings but also to domestic animals.

With no land reclamation exercise in place the huge gullies are now fast expanding towards the highway and if no action is taken the future of the Mutare-Chimanimani road network is under a severe threat.

A visit to Nyanyadzi area along the highway depicts a sorry state with permanent scars of massive land degradation more visible from a distance.

Even part of the land that had been earmarked for irrigation purposes has also been affected, with the future of baobab trees in the area is under threat .

Whilst they are conscious of the environmental damage, villagers said they are driven into the proactive to make ends meet.

Environmental Management Agency Manicaland Provincial Manager, Mr Kingstons Chitotombe noted that the increase in brick moulding exercise requires traditional leaders and the local authorities to come up with by laws that regulate the operations.

The state of affairs requires a land reclamation exercise to fill all the gullies as a lasting measure to manage the increase in brick moulding in rural areas.