The Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) has raised concerns over the continued sand mining and river bank cultivation activities along the Luangwa river in Mafinga district of Muchinga Province.
WARMA Acting-Director General Misozi Lumpa says the sand mining activities along the Luangwa river are a threat to the lifespan of the water resource.
Ms. Lumpa stated that the sand mining activities should immediately stop, as they are a setback to governments efforts in controlling river degradation.
“This activity is highly unacceptable and this area is now under WARMA because we are making efforts to ensure that this water resource is free from such vices,” she said.
Ms. Lumpa further said that river bank cultivation has also been observed along the Luangwa river where the community members have encroached the river banks with agricultural activities.
She pointed out that people planning to cultivate near the river should ensure that they maintain a distance of 50 metres away from the river banks as guided by the authority.
The Acting-Director General also mentioned that measures have since been taken to map the Luangwa river as a water resource protected area.
And Chief Mwenewisi of the Tambo people of Mafinga district has commended WARMA for the interventions being made to ensure that the Luangwa river is safeguarded from any further degradation arising from climate change and illegal human activity.
Chief Mwenewisi was speaking when the team from WARMA paid a courtesy call on him,calling for the need to engage traditional leaders in the sustainable Luangwa project being executed by the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation.
The traditional leader however, appealed to the authority to come up with alternative measures to help illegal sand miners and river bank cultivators with alternatives for their agricultural activities.
“It is very important that before chasing these people, you need to assess how you can help them in different ways because I understand that this vice is unacceptable,” he added.
He further advised WARMA to remain consistent towards achieving their goals of safeguarding water sources from the adverse effects of climate change through the World Wide Fund (WWF) implemented project.
The team from WARMA is in Mafinga district to kickstart the implementation process of the sustainable Luangwa project and engage with traditional leaders in spearheading the success of the project.
