10 Sep 2018

Kgosi Thomas Modiro of Zoroga has decried the tendencies of people refusing to volunteer to clean up the environment.

In his welcome remarks at the Clean-up the World commemoration day for Tutume Sub-district on September 7, Kgosi Modiro said people acted deliberately with the knowledge that they were not going to be punished for not volunteering to clean their environment.

He said the behaviour has resulted in an unhealthy environment that could attract contagious diseases.

Kgosi Modiro said the law should be implemented against those refusing to volunteer.

Officiating at the event, Mowana Copper Mine general manager, Mr Dominic Doherty noted that the campaign was an initiative aimed at creating awareness and mobilising communities to participate in events and activities of cleaning up and conserving the world.

“Clean-up campaigns and events such as this one must bring together key stakeholders, community members, schools and government departments to come up with programmes that contribute to the cleanliness of the environment,” he said.

Furthermore, he said the campaign demonstrated that if all could join hands and work collectively regardless of their status it could make their district a better place.

The campaign themed: Beat pollution - if you can’t reuse it refuse it, was meant to celebrate with stakeholders who had performed well in their respective categories being the cleanest village, school and waste fair.

Mr Doherty said prizes were awarded to those who took the initiative to clean their environment and by reusing waste to produce usable materials, thus reducing waste that could have gone to the landfill.

He said there were some common negative practices which could affect people’s quality of life such as disposal of plastics, noting that they were toxic to the environment and human health.

He added that plastics were not biodegradable and that once deposited in the soil, they stayed in the environment for a long period due to their impervious and persistence nature as they hold water thus creating a conducive environment for mosquitoes.

He added that plastics also reduced the aesthetic value of the environment as they hang in trees and other structures, and killed animals through choking when eaten as well as disrupting their digestive system causing bloating and death.

Mr Doherty urged people to stop littering along the roads and to avoid illegal dumping of waste on the outskirts of villages, open spaces and river banks to keep their environment clean.

He said other common negative practices that people should do away was the burning of waste in open spaces which lead to air pollution and health problems.

He said they should also stop the indiscriminate disposal of nappies and rubble which were destroying the environment.

Nshakashokwe won first prize followed by Sebina and Maitengwe under the large village categories. Matobo also scooped first prize while on position two and three was Marobela and Hubona in the small village category. 

First prize winners got P500 each, second prize P400 each while third prize winners received P300 each. ENDS