Chiradzulu District Council has engaged traditional leaders and their subjects on protection of the Chiradzulu Mountain area following encroachment that has led to deforestation and illegal cultivation on steep slopes at the expense of the council’s efforts to manage and conserve the environment.
Speaking during a meeting held at Group Village Head Mbalame on Thursday, Chiradzulu District Council Chief Administrative Officer, Alex Chipendo, reminded traditional leaders on the need to formulate and enforce by-laws to protect forests in mountains, hills, spare river lines and other protected areas from practices that are contradictory to the Forestry Act, and Environmental Act.
He cited charcoal production, and cultivation on mountains and hills as the common practices in Chiradzulu District that lead to river siltation.
“It is the duty of every community member to protect the environment in all forms. Chiefs should enforce by laws that should protect the environment, people should not cut down trees without replanting, not set bush fires or cultivate in mountains and hills,” Chipendo added.
He reminded traditional leaders and their subjects that Chiradzulu is prone to landslides hence the need to conserve the environment.
He cited scenarios in Chiradzulu Mountain and at Ntauchira Village where flush floods resulted in loss of life and property and displacement of people.
Chipendo, therefore, warned chiefs that fail to stop their subjects from destroying forests, cultivation in mountains and hills, that they risk losing their leadership positions.
Chiradzulu District Forestry Officer, Acklie Chimgonda, reminded chiefs, and their subjects, that the forestry office operates under the Forest Act which has penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment to those that do contrary to the Act.
Police in Chiradzulu say they will continue working with the forestry office to ensure protected areas are no go zones for those that tamper with the environment.
Group Village Head Mbalame hailed Chiradzulu District Council and the police for convening the community engagement, saying the meeting was necessary to warn his subjects against mountain encroachment for charcoal production and cultivation.
“Enough is enough. The law will take its course on those going against the Act,” he warned.
Apart from Mbalame, Group Village Heads Kanjuchi and Malika, Village Heads Chipole, Selemani and Makanani and their respective subjects attended the engagement meeting.
Recently, Sons and Daughters of Chiradzulu and Chiradzulu Concerned Citizens expressed worry over increased encroachment in Chiradzulu Mountain and other hills, calling for urgent action to stop the degradation.
The two groups cited siltation in rivers and in what used to be Chiradzulu Dam along Limbe–Phalombe via Chiradzulu Road, saying the dam became a sugarcane plantation at the expense of the district pride of a road side fish pond of fresh water.