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Sharon Chigeza Mutare Correspondent
THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA), Manicaland, has heeded President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s call for a 100-day work plan by identifying solid waste removal as its number one mandate. The solid waste removal exercise would result in compliance with environmental regulations by all stakeholders. Environmental Impact Assessment officer for Manicaland Province, Mr Simba Makonese said the exercise was aimed at creating a neat and clean environment.

“We are really focusing on the clearing of litter, as it affects the outlook of Zimbabwe and Manicaland should be a clean and neat place that is appealing to tourists. “There has been special emphasis on making sure that all the cities, districts and growth points are also clean. Of mention is the Mutare-Masvingo Highway, which we are trying to clean,” he said.

Mr Makonese said EMA had deployed bins and monitoring agents along the Mutare-Masvingo Highway up to Devure, which is about 100km from Mutare as part of the anti-litter drive.

The monitors are responsible for picking litter along the highway and emptying bins that would have been staggered along the route. The agency has engaged all districts, towns and cities within the province in the clean-up exercise. Mr Makonese has attributed the rise in littering to a number of factors saying economic constraints led people to take out their frustrations on the environment.

“When things are not going on so well people tend to lose love for their surroundings and the first thing to suffer is the environment, as it is easy to access its resources without any form of payment required,” he said.

He also said there was need for continuous efforts to educate and remind people especially the young about proper ways of disposing litter. He said this would help in solving littering issues in the country. “It is easier to catch them young, so they grow up with the knowledge as part of them. It is always difficult to teach an old dog new tricks,” he said.

The Environment Management Agency (EMA) has since engaged all local authorities in Manicaland Province on its anti-litter campaign, which is part of its 100-day work plan. It has also dispatched teams across the province’s seven districts to monitor activities relating to waste disposal.