Mining
Council raises alarm over unsustainable mining practices within Lilongwe City
January 26, 2024 / Chrissy Fereciah Nkumba
The Lilongwe City Council has expressed concern over illegal sand and quarry mining within the city, which is leading to environmental degradation.
The Council’s Director of Parks, Recreation, and Environment Allan Kwanjana in an interview advised construction companies and individuals working on building projects to desist from sourcing the materials from illegal miners.
“The public is hereby informed that carrying out of sand and stone mining activities within the City boundaries is a serious offence punishable by law,” Kwanjana said citing relevant sections in Environmental Management Act and Mines and Minerals Act.
Kwanjana warned the miners to stop the operations immediately saying failure to comply will result in prosecution and heavy penalties.
“The government, through the Council, is dedicated to safeguarding the environment and the well-being of its citizens,” he said.
Kwanjana said the Council is undertaking proactive measures against the situation including identifying mining sites, issuing prohibition notices, deploying enforcement teams, and continuous monitoring to ensure compliance.
He said: “However, challenges persist, with resistance from miners leading to confrontations and confiscation of tools. The City Council has designated areas where mining is permissible, but some operators defy regulations, prompting forceful eviction.”
“Currently we are doing this in a number of sites along Lingadzi and Lilongwe rivers. We end up confiscating their working tools and where possible apprehend the culprits and take them to Police for prosecution,” he said.
Kwanjana lamented that small-scale miners involved in the malpractice operate without oversight leading to uncontrolled sand and rock mining along riverbanks, streams, and dambo land, causing land degradation and posing threats to infrastructure such as roads and bridges.
He said attempts to form committees for a coordinated solution have faced setbacks, as key stakeholders like the Ministry of Lands and the Ministry of Mining have been hesitant to address the issue.
“The environmental impact is evident, with land rendered undevelopable, mosquito breeding grounds formed, river courses diverted, and public infrastructure endangered. Current efforts targeting miners have proven ineffective due to their widespread presence in the city,” he said.
Kwanjana, therefore, said the Council is contemplating a shift in strategy to target buyers and customers in restricted areas.
“The impounding of trucks transporting materials from these zones and leveraging existing legislation to impose penalties and fees are suggested measures to cover enforcement expenses,”Kwanjana said adding that the situation calls for urgent collaborative efforts to curb unsustainable mining practices and preserve Lilongwe’s environment for sustainable development.
However, small scale quarry miners plying their trade in the City told Mining & Trade Review that Government needs to give them licenses and identify appropriate areas where they should be doing their trade.
“We need to be empowered with loans to procure machines and compete with mechanized miners. It is sad that foreigners who have adequate capital including Chinese have dominated the industry putting us out of business,” said a female miner.
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Rehabilitation:
The establishment of a stable and self-sustaining ecosystem, but not necessarily the one that existed before mining began. In many cases, complete restoration may be impossible, but successful remediation, reclamation, and rehabilitation can result in the timely establishment of a functional ecosystem.
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Remediation:
The cleanup of the contaminated area to safe levels by removing or isolating contaminants. At mine sites, remediation often consists of isolating contaminated material in pre-existing tailings storage facilities, capping tailings and waste rock stockpiles with clean topsoil, and collecting and treating any contaminated mine water if necessary.
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