The Government announced on Friday (12) that the Kingdom of the Netherlands will provide financial support of 27 million dollars for the restoration of rivers degraded by illegal mining activity in Manica province, in the centre of the country.
The intervention is part of a national effort to mitigate the environmental impacts caused by uncontrolled mining, particularly in sensitive areas of the river basin in that region, according to Lusa.
The funding will be channelled through the Moz Water programme, managed by the Central Regional Water Administration (ARA-Centro), with the aim of strengthening integrated water resources management and implementing rehabilitation actions for river flows affected by erosion, siltation and contamination caused by mining activities.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources, the funding will enable the restoration of degraded river ecosystems, promote greater resilience among institutions involved in water management and align national practices with international best standards. The project also aims to strengthen community-based mechanisms for environmental prevention and monitoring.
The Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Estêvão Pale, recalled that mining companies are legally required to rehabilitate exploited areas. However, due to widespread non-compliance, the Government granted a 90-day deadline for mining operators to begin soil restoration and riverbank stabilisation before the intensification of the rainy season.
The environmental situation in Manica province has been classified as critical. In October, 25 companies were notified by the Environmental Quality Control Agency to begin rehabilitating degraded areas, under penalty of sanctions.
In September, the President of the Republic, Daniel Chapo, warned of the “environmental disaster” caused by mining, even admitting the possibility of a total suspension of mining activities in high-risk areas.
The degradation includes severe pollution of several rivers in the province, whose waters have taken on a reddish and turbid appearance as a result of the direct washing of minerals and the dumping of untreated toxic waste.
Given the scale of the problem, the Government established an interministerial commission comprising the sectors of Defence, Mineral Resources and Energy, Interior, Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Finance, Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries, Health, Justice, and Labour, Gender and Social Action. The team’s objective is to coordinate response actions, accountability measures and the prevention of future occurrences.
Source: Diário Económico
