Africa-Press – Zambia. The Department of Forest in Kanchibiya District of Muchinga Province, has continued confiscating bags of Charcoal from several illegal charcoal burners in the district.
Over 200 by 5O kilogramme bags of Charcoal were yesterday confiscated following a joint patrol by Forest officers from Kanchibiya and Mpika Districts aimed at curbing the rampant illegal charcoal trading in the District.
This was disclosed to ZANIS by Kanchibiya District Forest Officer Francis Mutale stated that last month 333 by 50 kilogramme bags of charcoal were confiscated by the department in Kanchibiya District.
He said the Department of Forest will not sit back and watch the community engage themselves in indiscriminately cutting down trees and illegal charcoal trading.
He noted with sadness that there has been an increase in illegal charcoal trading in Kanchibiya, especially in Mpepo’ area where the residents have refused to cooperate with the Department of Forest.
Mr. Mutale has since appealed to Chief Mpepo of Bemba speaking People in Kanchibiya District to help arrest the rampant cutting down of trees in his Chiefdom before it gets out of hand.
He said if left unchecked, illegal cutting down of trees can lead to serious deforestation which will have adverse effects to both the environment in the area and climate at large.
Meanwhile, Kanchibiya District Commissioner Chrispin Chilekwa has warned that his office working together with the Forest Department will ensure that all those found wanting are prosecuted so as to deter would-be offenders.
Mr. Chilekwa has however said curbing indiscriminately cutting down of trees needs concerted efforts from all stakeholders especially in the communities where such acts are happening.
“Am urging the illegal charcoal burners to form Cooperatives and apply for Constituency Development Funds (CDF) even as they venture into alternate productive businesses,” Mr. Chilekwa said.
And United Party for National Development (UPND) Kanchibiya District Women’s Chairperson, Seveniya Malama has appealed to Kanchibiya residents to find alternative income generating activities that will help them sustain their livelihoods without being in conflict with the law.
“There are many income generating Activities that the people in Kanchibiya can do other than illegal charcoal trading,” said Ms. Malama.
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