Edwin Moyo
Shurugwi-Residents of Shurugwi have raised concern over the illegal mining activities which are taking shape in their area as they cause health and environmental issues.
The call comes as residents are complaining about the ongoing mining activities which are said to have been causing serious public health hazards to the community and environment at large.
Speaking to The Midweek Watch during an interview, Environmental Management Agency (EMA) Midlands Province spokesperson, Oswald Ndlovu said proper mining activities require one to be properly licensed especially the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA).
He added that the activities which were happening in Shurugwi required every stakeholder to be involved so that the process can be of benefit to all the relevant stakeholders within the area.
“The issue of mining in the midlands is one of the activities which holds the economy of the Province and the nation at large. So mining is a prescribed activity which requires proper documentation and requires that an EIA be done to accesses whether the area is not a sensitive ecosystem.
“In some cases, we have miners who start to implement projects before an EIA is done, and this affect other stakeholders because there is need to minimize some of the challenges which might affect the environment and the community.
“There is what is called project impact assessment where by the benefitting stakeholders, like communities they look at the benefits like employment and rather ignore other concerns.
“Mining is not a one stakeholder issue but requires all stakeholder including community leaders as they are the ones who should raise alarm bells when things go wrong” He added.
Ndlovu added that there is need for stakeholders to work collaboratively so that some of these problems are amicably solved.
A Shurugwi North community member, Tavenhave Mhindu said the illegal mining activities in Shurugwi where worrisome as some miners are implicating the residents while conducting illegal activities.
“We are tired of people who are coming with illegal papers yet they go on to have the members of the community arrested in what is called interference with mining activities yet they are illegal. They can even produce fake papers.
“We also have blasting going on in unregulated areas. A lot of houses have cracked and people are suffering from tuberculosis and respiratory difficulties due to inhaling dangerous gases and chemicals. That’s where we want EMA to come and arrest these people, they are busy vandalizing properties, homes and human health.” he said.
Meanwhile as authorities have warned that a lot of illegal mining is stemming from economic desperation and lack of formal opportunities, it continues to pose serious consequences on the environmental, biodiversity, water resources and ecosystem.
