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Gold panners threaten Mutare City water source
2 hrs ago | 20 Views
Mutare City Council is weighing plans to deploy municipal police to safeguard the Nyakaunga River, one of the city's main water sources, amid growing threats from illegal gold panning.
Speaking during a budget review meeting on Monday, Town Clerk Blessing Chafesuka warned that the river was being heavily polluted by mining activities, driving up the cost of water treatment and posing serious risks to public health.
"We have a big problem developing on Nyakaunga River, our source of water. Illegal gold panners are rampant on that river and when they divert the water it becomes dirty and costly for us to treat. At the same time, it creates risks for our residents," said Chafesuka.
He added that council management had already begun discussing the allocation of funds for security measures to safeguard the river, stressing that water remains the city's greatest asset and must be protected at all costs.
The Joint Operations Command (JOC) and other stakeholders have in past years conducted several raids to flush out panners from Mutare's water catchment areas, but the problem has persisted as miners quickly return after operations.
Speaking during a budget review meeting on Monday, Town Clerk Blessing Chafesuka warned that the river was being heavily polluted by mining activities, driving up the cost of water treatment and posing serious risks to public health.
He added that council management had already begun discussing the allocation of funds for security measures to safeguard the river, stressing that water remains the city's greatest asset and must be protected at all costs.
The Joint Operations Command (JOC) and other stakeholders have in past years conducted several raids to flush out panners from Mutare's water catchment areas, but the problem has persisted as miners quickly return after operations.
Source - Mirror
