The Chronicle
Heather Charema in Kadoma
THE National Environmental Awarenesses Trust (NEAT) in conjunction with the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) have urged mining entities to adopt environmentally friendly technologies and invest more towards conservation efforts.
Addressing key mining stakeholders who attended a recent tree planting ceremony at Odessy Lodge in Kadoma, NEAT founder and Zimbabwe Miners Federation executive member, Mr Timothy Chizuzu called for deliberate and coordinated environmental awareness programmes on provisions of mining law and imperatives of environmental management.
“I’d like to encourage all miners to practice sustainable mining both small to medium and large scale mining entities in Zimbabwe are encouraged to be sensitive to the environment and to invest in projects and technologies that minimise environmental risk,” he said.
“I also want to urge the authorities, stakeholders and other bodies to embark on deliberate and coordinated environmental education and awareness programmes to educate mining entrepreneurs and the general public on the provisions of the law and imperatives of sustainable environmental management.”
Sanyati District EMA Environmental Officer Mr Knowledge Kabesa said stakeholder participation in environmental programmes was equally important.
“We celebrated World Environmental Day with this year’s thrust hinged on how the mining sector is contributing towards a greener and cleaner environment emphasising that they showcase their various green initiatives, land rehabilitation programmes and environmental compliance with specific reference to the provisions of NDS1 guidelines where necessary,” he said.
“The ministry’s thrust is on stakeholder participation in environmental programmes. It welcomes schools, civil society, industry, and communities to also undertake their own commemoration events to showcase their green initiatives, demonstrating how they are living in harmony with nature.”
Mr Kabesa applauded mining companies in Kadoma that were rehabilitating areas they had mined and exhausted mineral deposits.
He said some had started installing solar fields on top of the rehabilitated sites.
“In Kadoma we have some mining companies that have gone far and wide and they’re trying as much as possible to do some outreaches in these community projects where they’re working in harmony with nature,” said Mr Kabesa.
“For example, we have Rio Zim at our Dalny mine as well as Cam and Motor. They are rehabilitating areas that they mined and exhausted mineral deposits of importance to them and are even putting solar fields on top of those areas.”
Article Source: The Chronicle