KWEKWE – Uncontrolled artisanal mining has become a serious threat to water bodies around Zibagwe, Kwekwe and Zhombe, this is according to the findings made by the team drawing master plans for the Midlands Province.
Zibagwe Rural District is already facing critical water shortages because major water bodies are silted due to artisanal mining and stream bank cultivation.
Some dams that are seriously affected by siltation are Exchange Dam (Silobela) that is 39% silted, Totororo Dam (Zhombe) is completely gone because mining is actually happening inside the dam. Ngondoma irrigation is under threat because the holding capacity of its dam is now around 51%.
Artisanal miners are mining inside water bodies in Zhombe and Silobela and this has also destroyed irrigation schemes due to shortages of water.
Lead town planner, Johnson Mikuku revealed these findings to journalists during the presentation of findings at a Kwekwe Hotel.
“As part of our findings the district has a critical shortage of water. We have so many water bodies in the district but they are silted.
“Some irrigation schemes that operated for 20 years have collapsed because of siltation of dams,” said Mikuku.
He said the current planning must therefore bring about mitigatory measures and buffer zones to protect the priceless water bodies.
Source: Masvingo Mirror
