Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture (MTEC) has introduced Environmental Community Policing forums through its project called Strengthening Partnerships
in Sustainable Plastic Life-Cycle Management in Lesotho. Environmental Community Policing forums will be trusted for enforcing the law to conserve and
preserve the environment. Addressing the media MTEC Principal Secretary (PS) Moliehi Moejane, said the focus is on emerging and escalating environmental related challenges in the context of
plastic and other waste or pollution pathways which, if left unabated, may lead to Lesotho being less habitable. She further said it is her desire that through
this project and beyond, empowerment of both the police and community policing forums (Mahokela) about their responsibility on environmental protection would
be realized. Moejane indicated that these include law enforcement, to participate in the prevention of environmental crime through environmental education, practical
interpretation of the environmental laws to citizens and engaging in public environment management awareness processes. “I hope in your discussion you will
touch on issues like poor management of solid and liquid waste, burning of rangelands and uncontrolled harvesting of medical plants and animals,” she said.
She added that employing community policing forums as existing administrative structures is a good initiative to be explored for incorporating agenda on
mitigating environmental crimes. MTEC Environmental officer Moleboheng Petlane said committees formed by Community policing and Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) need to be empowered so that
they can help the ministry to enforce the laws in order to conserve and preserve the environment. She said they need to be educated about their responsibility on environmental conservation.
Petlane further said burning of rangelands, illegal dumping sites, harvesting of medical plants and animals need to be regarded as illegal. “The concept of this is to empower both the
Police and community about their responsibility on environmental protection,” she said. Petlane indicated that going forward, they are hoping to host community policing workshops for Area Policing Committees whereby they will
raise awareness on environmental crime. She added that they will also establish communication channels and pilot environmental policing system in the project
area. MTEC Senior Environmental Officer ‘Mamasheane Motabotabo said Lesotho has around 2 000 species of wild flora plants and 500 species of wild fauna animals.
She said most of these species are under threat of usage in traditional medicines. She added that this has increased tremendously where species such as Artemisia
afra/African wormwood ‘Lengana’are over-harvested due to alleged treatment of Covid-19. “For legislation of harvesting the wildlife, an export permit is issued by the Department of Environment (DoE).
Issuance of export permits enables DoE to regulate the population of species to avoid extinction and illegal export of those species,” she said. Also from the MTEC, Sub-Inspector Crime Unit ‘Maphomolo Mosaase explained that
environmental crime is an illegal act which directly harms the environment or any action that contravenes environmental legislation such as illegal hunting,
grazing, harvesting and pollution in general harms the environment. She said MTEC needs to intensify measures for environmental crime awareness. “Some
local communities do not perceive certain actions as environmental crime and some authorities do not recognize the significance of warning against environmental
crimes. For instance, reducing the number of illegal incidents of pollution and biodiversity,” she said. She noted that they appeal to the nation to preserve the protected areas at their locations to avoid endangering species by not trespassing, domesticating the wildlife and polluting the environment.
