Zimbabwe: Residents’ Seek Minister’s Intervention On Wetland Protection
RESIDENTS of Kambuzuma have written to the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate seeking the ministry’s intervention to stop the construction of a fuel station on a wetland located in the area.
In the letter, the residents who are being represented by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) argued that the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) erred in giving Gulf Energy the green light to construct on the wetland located at Number 2907 Gokora Street.
The residents said EMA failed to put into consideration the importance of wetlands while disregarding a report from an expert which highlighted that the construction of the fuel station will interfere with the hydrogeology of the area.
“The Environmental Impact Assessment reports submitted overlooked the significant impact on ground water as it failed to suggest feasible mitigation measures to address these impacts. In approving the project, the Agency failed to fully take into account the functions of a wetland to the general environment and more importantly the water supply situation in Harare.
“The wetland acts as a reservoir for the catchment of Lake Chivero which supplies water to Harare residents. Destroying Stand Number 2907 Gokora Street also known as Kuwadzana Section 2 park wetland as envisaged by the developer will greatly worsen the water challenges in Harare,” read part of the letter.
Edgar Gweshe