By TIMOTHY MUZIYA-
THE Department of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs in Mkushi District, has announced plans to investigate the encroachment and illegal cutting of trees in Mulungwe Chiefdom.
Mkushi District’s Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Officer Mutepa Kamoto said this in Mkushi during the latest District Development Coordination Committee (DDCC) forum.
Mr Kamoto confirmed that his office had been receiving reports of rampant deforestation in Shaibila Chiefdom by people who possessed documents that had allegedly been endorsed by the Shaibila Royal Establishment.
He said the people had extended their illegal cutting down of trees into the neighbouring Mulungwe Chiefdom.
He said this had prompted Chief Mulungwe to make formal reports to the Department of Chiefs Affairs.
Mr Kamoto said his department was hopeful that the matter would soon be addressed saying cooperating partners such as the Police and the Forestry Department would be incorporated into the assignment.
Few days ago, Chief Mulungwe of the Lala people of Mkushi District had appealed for prompt intervention from Government into the issue of illegal cutting down of trees in his Chiefdom by people believed to be coming from Shaibila Chiefdom.
And in a related develeopment, Mkushi District forestry officer Willard Njovu maintained that his office would give priority to cases of deforestation in any part of the District.
Mr Njovu, however, pointed out that his department sometimes faced interference from local leaders during the efforts to control deforestation in areas other than the designated forest reserves.
He said that in view of this, he was hopeful that this trend would be reversed, saying that the issues pertaining to deforestation caused great concern to his department. –ZANIS