Environment ministry concerned with rising cases of  illegal sand mining 

STAFF WRITER

The Ministry has raised concern over the increasing cases of sand mining across the country.

Minister of Environment Forestry and Tourism Indileni Daniel  said in a statement released on Thursday that the  activities are being undertaken without the required Environmental Clearance Certificates (ECCs) issued by the Office of the Environmental Commissioner (OEC), as stipulated under the Environmental Management Act, 2007 (Act No. 7 of 2007).

“Additionally, the Ministry wishes to remind all individuals, businesses, local and traditional authorities that any sand and gravel mining activity must be preceded by an environmental impact assessment, environmental management plan and the issuance of an ECC from the OEC,” she said.

She said illegal sand and gravel mining poses danger to the environment, people, livestock and wildlife, such as land degradation, erosion of riverbanks, damage to infrastructure, destruction of wetlands and agricultural land like mahangu fields. “These impacts threaten human life, water and food security, grazing land and biodiversity. 

“The open pits left behind by illegal sand and gravel mining operations fill

with water during the rainy season like now, posing a serious risk to wildlife, livestock and human beings, particularly children,” she said.

Daniel said while  the Ministry acknowledges the growing demand for sand and gravel driven by national development priorities of new roads, housing and other infrastructure, development cannot come at the cost of irreversible environmental degradation.

She said  proper regulation of sand and gravel mining is therefore essential to balance economic development with environmental protection.

“In response to the ongoing challenges, the Ministry will soon be undertaking regional stakeholder engagements on Sand and Gravel Mining Regulations. The regulations are a needful ingredient in the implementation and enforcement of the Environmental Management Act.

“The Ministry therefore encourages all stakeholders to attend to Namibians to desist from illegal sand and gravel mining environmental laws,” she said.