Pannar Seeds fined $60k for wetlands cultivation
ENVIRONMENTAL Management Agency (EMA) has fined Pannar Seeds $60 000 for planting maize on a wetland along Harare Drive.
The seed company was fined after it breached an order that was issued by EMA to seed companies before the rainy season warning them to desist from planting on wetlands.
Pannar Seeds ignored the order and also placed signs advertising their seed varieties they had planted on the demonstration plot on the wetland.
EMA’s Harare provincial education and publicity officer Ms Batsirai Sibanda said the agency is going to continue serving Environmental Protection Orders on all those who temper with wetlands.
Ms Sibanda said it was their duty to ensure that wetlands are protected in line with President Mnangagwa’s call for their preservation.
“Environmental Management Agency on the 4th of February 2021 served Pannar Seeds with an Environmental Protection Order and issued a ticket amounting to $60 000 for cultivating and putting placards for advertising purposes on the maize crop that is in a wetland. EMA has therefore ordered that on or before the 12th of February 2021, Pannar Seeds should have removed their crop and placards between Alpes Road and Mazowe road along Harare Drive.
“In 2020, before the rainy season the agency served all seed houses with orders warning them not to have demonstration plots in wetlands. However, Pannar Seeds and Pioneer Seeds went ahead and planted in wetlands defying our order.”
Ms Sibanda said people and companies must respect the law and understand that it is an offence to develop and cultivate on wetlands.
“According to Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007, it is an offence to utilise a protected ecosystem such as a wetland and anyone who contravenes the Section is liable to a fine not exceeding Level 14. Unsustainable utilisation of our wetlands has led to the degradation and recently in Harare and Chitungwiza they have experienced flooding in some of their residential areas.
“Wetlands are indispensable for the countless benefits that they provide for humanity ranging from fresh water supply, food and biodiversity to flood control ground water recharge and climate change mitigation. It is therefore important for us to protect our wetlands,” she said.
Recently, President Mnangagwa expressed serious concerns over illegal developments that were taking place on wetlands.
He said Government was deeply concerned with the illegal expansive construction in wetlands and river basins as well as the construction of houses without the provision of requisite infrastructure such as roads, water, sewer and electricity.
President Mnangagwa said the current excellent rains received across the country have exposed and laid bare the extent of problems associated with unplanned settlements in urban, peri-urban and growth points.-heral.cl.zw
