By Fanny Mast Reporter
MINISTER of Water Development and Sanitation Collins Nzovu has directed the Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) to deliver the mapping report for the levels of encroachment in Makululu Township of Kabwe in Central Province.
Nzovu said the area was a strategic water resource that needed to be protected.
Speaking when he visited the area, he said government would move those who had illegally settled there.
“But it’s been very very clear that certain areas which are ecologically sensitive water sources need protection. First and foremost, this place was never encroached. Indeed I have seen that people are encroaching, our mode of operation ourselves, our decision as UPND [United Party for National Development] government is that we look at the majority of the people affected, the public good,” Nzovu said.
“If there are people here who’ve encroached this area, we are better off relocating them or demolishing their structures because we need to provide this resource to the greater population of Kabwe. How strategic is this source here? Extremely strategic. There’s a lot of water here. This is Kalulu well field. So this Kalulu well field is a very rich well field hence we are in a hurry to protect it, and we will protect it and encroachers will be moved from here, including ensuring we demolish their structures under the law. this is very very very very important.”
He said undertaking activities within 50 metres of water sources was not allowed.
“Illegal drilling of boreholes, or even deepening of boreholes, you need to get a permit because this water has to be utilised efficiently and everybody has to be catered for. I was made aware that there are are about 10 families here, but there could be more. What WARMA has done right now is that it has mapped this area. So around that area we are just waiting for a report, and I must say WARMA must stop sleeping. We need that report as quickly as possible because the more we delay, the more people encroach. We need that report as soon as possible,” he said.
Nzovu said he believed that the families were illegally settled in the area.
They had encroached water sources.
“We believe that these families must move. This area, I must emphasise this area is a very important area. This is where the water is for Kabwe. We need this well field. We need to protect it,” Nzovu said.
WARMA Luangwa Catchment acting manager Goodfellow Mphande said the authority had mapped all the well fields in Makululu, including Kalulu.
He said more than 16 well fields had been encroached and that WARMA had come up with boundaries.
“We are deeply concerned with the levels of encouragement here in Makulu. As you can see, these well fields have been heavily encroached,” Mphande said.
“So what is just remaining now is just for these areas to be declared water resource protection areas so that these water sources can be protected. The well fields have been highly encroached because in a normal situation, on a well field like this one, you are not supposed to have settlements less than 50 metres from the water source. So, these have been highly encroached.”
Meanwhile, Lukanga Water and Sanitation Company acting managing director Nyonge Phiri is concerned that people have been moving closer to the water sources.
“These communities were there, but not very close to the boreholes. So with time, we have seen that people have been moving closer and closer to the water sources,” Phiri said.
The growth of the area had been so rapid that it was an overwhelming task to prevent the squatters from moving closer to the sources.
