The Mwembeshi Resources Limited, the company that had commenced larger-scale copper mining activities in the Lower Zambezi National Park has been ordered to halt its mining activities in the national park with immediate effect.
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Government has ordered that the mining activities which included the construction of roads, excavation and hauling of materials should be ceased in the Lower Zambezi National Park.
Mwembeshi Resources Limited has been ordered to halt its large-scale mining activities in the Zambezi Lower National Park due to non-compliance to conditions in the decision letter.
Green Economy and Environment Minister Eng Collins Nzovu has announced the cessation of construction of roads in the Lower Zambezi National Park, which included excavations, hauling of materials, damping of laterite and other construction material, clearing of vegetation and all other related mining activities.
Eng Nzovu has also ordered that mining of gravel, and other road construction materials from the two barrow pits and any other sources within the Zambezi National Park should cease immediately.
At a press briefing yesterday, Eng Nzovu the construction of foundations for buildings and any other project activities should be halted forthwith.
Eng Nzovu stated that he had been informed that multiple inspections and legal reviews by the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) had established beyond reasonable doubt that Mwembeshi Resources Limited had violated a number of conditions of the Environmental Impact Assessment Decision letter.
“Consequently, the ZEMA has served a compliance order on Mwembeshi Resources Limited and the compliance order has ordered that Mwembesi Resources Limiteds to immediately cease the construction of roads in the National Park which includes excavation, and hauling of materials should be ceased in the Lower Zambezi National Park. Mining of gravel, and other road construction materials from the two barrow pits and any other sources within the Zambezi National Park should cease immediately,” Eng Nzovu said.
He has since ordered the mining company to submit a site environmental restoration plan for the degraded environment at the barrow pits and any other areas in the National Park.
Eng Nzovu ordred that the degraded environment should be restored to its former or better state as required by the Environmental Management Act No 12 of 2011.
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