Zimpapers Logo

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected] 

IN a pro-active move to protect the environment, Gwanda Rural District Council has introduced hefty fines for individuals and entities found violating the recently enacted Environment and Natural Resources Conservation by-laws.

Government in December last year gazetted Statutory Instrument 229 of 2023 Gwanda Rural District Council (Environmental and Natural Resources Conservation) by-laws, which will help the local authority to conserve natural resources and increase its revenue from the exploitation of natural resources in the district.

The by-laws replace archaic ones, which dated back to the 1990s. Under the newly introduced regulations, offenders caught violating environmental laws will face substantial fines designed to serve as a deterrent against future transgressions. 

The fines, carefully calibrated to reflect the severity of the offence and the potential environmental impact, signify the council’s commitment to enforcing responsible environmental practices.

According to the stipulated fines, the lowest fine is US$20 while the highest is pegged at US$800. In terms of sections 36 (1) and (2), litterbugs are liable to a fine of US$20 while illegal mining, general offences and failure to comply with a council order on wildlife, livestock sale and protection of road networks among others will attract a fine of US$800.

In an interview, Gwanda RDC chief executive officer, Mr Ranganai Sibanda said council was now equipped with the legislation, which will help curb the exploitation of natural resources in the district.

“We have set stipulated fines for offences under the Environmental and Natural Resources Conservation By-Laws for 2023. The SI was gazetted end of last year and now as council, we had to come up with mechanisms to put it into effect,” he said.

“We have set fines that we hope will act as a deterrent measure against environmental offences. There have been many economic activities that have been taking place in the district, but as council, we haven’t been getting any revenue with locals not benefitting.”

Mr Sibanda said in the past they relied on archaic by-laws, which were crafted way before some of these activities became rampant. 

“The current by-laws are more detailed and specific, which will make implementation of regulations easier. This will help to boost our revenue,” he said.

Offenders will be fined US$500 for illegal hunting of wildlife, fishing and picking of indigenous plants. The same amount will be charged for offences, which include commercial timber logging without a permit from the council and threatening water sources.

Air pollution, illegal disposal of solid waste and effluent, or habiting a place or institution without a toilet with attract a US$300 fine.

The collection or removal of gravel, stones, river sand and pit sand without a permit from the council will attract a fine of US$200 including failure to do environmental rehabilitation works, a lack of veld fire control measures and the destruction of fencing conservation works.

Those who illegally cut down trees, fail to protect wetlands, collect, harvest or pick fruits or other forest produce for sale in the district without a permit from the council, mould commercial bricks without a permit and plant invasive alien species, will pay US$100.

Grazing livestock in undesignated areas, cultivating in undesignated areas and failure to conserve natural resources in specified areas, will attract a US$50 fine.—@DubeMatutu