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Govt must not relax tempo on war against environmental degradation
2006-03-21 08:38:25
By Editot
Worldver, society is steadily experiencing modernisation, though at different levels and pace.
However, at whatever level and pace, the phenomenon manifests in urbanisation and industrialisation.
But as we inevitably embrace urbanisation and industrialisation the resultant spill over has generated a myriad of issues to content with as they threaten the very survival of humanity.
The United Nations and other regional organisations are now spending billions of shillings, strategising and formulating policy guidelines to try and reverse the wanton degradation of the environment and serve Mother Planet Earth well.
Despite all the concerted efforts it is apparent that man is hell-bent to extinct himself and the state of the world environment gets appalling day-after-day.
Regionally, the Horn of Africa and parts of Central Africa are bracing through unprecedented drought in decades.
An estimated 11 million people are consequently on the verge of starvation.
Global, regional and local environmental hazards stem from individual and government lapses.
Yesterday, IGAD Member States began a conference in Nairobi to delve on the possibility of creating a fund to address and resolve the possible lash back of environmental degradation that has resulted in the change of weather patterns culminating in the raging drought.
The cost of being environmentally irresponsive is enormous and could compromise the economic gains attained by individuals and even the governments.
Take the case of Tanzania. The Central Bank chief was recently quoted by a section of the media as saying that the economy had so far lost 14b/- due to the ongoing power rationing.
At the moment, investors are doing business at an extra cost, with some having been totally pushed out of business because of power shedding.
This indeed precipitates spiralling inflation and dismal performance of the economy.
It therefore follows that our fight against endemic hunger is pegged on the wanton destruction of the environment and the resultant drought.
Ever since he took the reins, President Kikwete has made environmental protection his pet subject.
He has moved to check deforestation by regulating charcoal burning and protection of indigenous trees.
But then the president’s recourse needs legal backing and collective responsibility by all and sundry.
There is need for our government to expeditiously move and put in place legislation that enforces environmental protection.
Take the case of the plastic bag menace in Dar es Salaam and other urban centres in the country.
It is not in doubt that Dar es Salaam is choking with plastic disposal problem.
Apart from being an eyesore, plastic materials have practically blocked the drainage system in the city.
When it rains the City gets flooded because of the blockade.
Plastic materials are non-biodegradable, a fact scientists fear they could soon adversely impact on agricultural land.
City authorities, the central government and the manufacturers ought to regulate the use of plastic material because their hazardous nature.
Elsewhere, there are regulations stipulating the thickness of plastic material to be use in packaging.
In Kenya for instance, the government has embarked on a programme to give tax exemptions to supermarket chains and other business outfits that use pulp paper containers for their customers.
This is meant to recur the extra cost incurred in the purchase of pulp paper containers instead of the plastic ones, which are cheaper.
For the last three days the Mwenge bus terminal in Dsar es Salaam is awash with raw sewer spewing from a manhole that is blocked with plastic materials.
Shockingly, food kiosks continue serving customers quite oblivious to the health and hygienic hazards lurking here.
This indeed, is what could soon become of Dar es Salaam if no remedial action is undertaken. But we can for sure avoid this unhealthy scenario.
Besides the plastic menace, there is the urban chaos in our cities.
The latest police operations to tidy-up the country’s urban centres of street vendors yielded tears and the regrets for both the law enforcement personnel and the messy roadside hawkers.
With the Prime Minster’s intervention, the street clean up has so far received a six months reprieve.
That not withstanding, the country needs a decent business demeanour with a secure environment.
If everyone had to start whatever business and locate it anywhere, for sure this would be a recipe for environmental sleaze.
The regular outbreaks of cholera in Dar es Salaam is directly attributed to the sale of cooked foods and fruits under unhygienic circumstances by the vendors in the city.
The presence of street vendors has always caused confused and made it difficult to check cholera outbreaks. There must be order.
For environmental sustainability, commitment from the government and individuals is mandatory. But this commitment needs legal backing.
In this case the government only needs to domesticate the international conventions and instruments.
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