KARIBA– THE Kariba Magistrates Court last week slapped the town’s local authority with a $2000 fine for discharging raw effluent in to the the giant water body, Lake Kariba, threatening its residents and diverse aquatic life.
The municipality, represented by Norman Manhanga, was found guilty of violating the Environment Management Act Chapter 20. 27 of 2002 for discharging partially treated sewage into the lake.
The municipality denied the charges when case was heard in court on August 20.
But Kariba regional magistrate Toendepi Zhou ruled that the local authority had erred and ordered them to pay the $2000-00 fine.
In arriving at the judgment, Zhou noted that the municipality had failed to repair some of its major manholes, resulting in the effluent leaking and flowing into the giant lake whose water levels have significantly plummeted in recent months.
“In addition the accused is hereby directed to repair all discharged main holes by the 31 October 2019,” the judgement reads.
Residents and tourists who frequent the resort town rely on the lake for portable water, which is also home to a various species of fish and other wildlife such as crocodiles and hippopotamuses.
Elephants, lions, huge herds of buffalo and a wide range of other animals also flock to the lake for a drink, creating major spectacles popular with tourists on recreational junkets.
According to the EMA Act it is an offence to discharge hazardous waste in fresh water bodies which sustain human and aquatic life.
