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By Elvis Dumba
Banket – Traditional leaders have expressed concern over the high incidence of uncontrolled veld fires, a situation that has seen property and human lives being destroyed.
Last week an elderly man was burnt to death in Banket and property worth thousands of dollars was destroyed in the Darwendale area on Sunday.
Chief Katizagombo, born Svinurai Jenami said as traditional leaders, they are concerned with the increase of veld fires spreading out each year.
“We are worried about the repeated trend where every year in Zvimba, fire is destroying property and killing people. We are also puzzled that no culprits behind the fires are being punished. We are going to ensure that those farmers without fire guards are severely punished. I urge our farming community to have community fire fighting teams which should be alerted, especially this season of high fire incidences,” he said
Zvimba’s Chief Katizagombo urged young people in grass business projects.
“I think instead of destroying our resources through veld fires, I encourage young people to invest in activities such as hay bailing and help preserve our environment,” he said.
Headman Highroad Mangani said people should monitor their children when they go out for their hunting expeditions as most of the fires in their areas are being attributed to young people.
Zvimba District Development Coordinator, Desmond Anele Gumbochuma said “We encourage the police to ensure that perpetrators behind veld fires should be brought to book and we are pained by the death of a Banket man. This was actually the second death through fire in our district in a single month.”
Gumbochuma, who also chairs the District’s Civil Protection Unit, said they have since increased awareness in the district in partnership with other agencies such as the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).
In Darwendale, veld fires left at least two families homeless and burnt a vehicle on Sunday when it spread in ward 21.
