Conservation supervisors dared on standards

Kasungu District Council director of planning and development Annie Zimba has challenged Climate-Smart Public Works Programme supervisors to ensure that conservation works meet expected standards.

She made the call in Kasungu on Tuesday during an orientation of programme supervisors of the district’s four newly-established conservation catchments.

Zimba said there is need for the supervisors to ensure that the environmental interventions match the investments made.

She said: “We don’t expect to see any shoddy work in the catchments. As officers, you must ensure that we deliver quality work.

“There must be value for the money invested in the programme. We should not see a casual way of doing things that will reflect badly on the council.”

Speaking on behalf of the catchment supervisors, Santhe Extension Planning Area development officer Time Natani said the orientation helped them to equip the field staff with vital knowledge that will help them make the programme successful.

“The new catchments are big and will require our dedication to duty. This is work that we must take seriously because the conservation assets that we are creating will not only help us today, but also future generations,” he said.

As part of the programme activities, participants are involved in soak pits construction, gully reclamation and planting vegetative cover to reduce run-off and encourage infiltration of water to retain moisture in the soil.

Climate-Smart Public Works Programme is a component of the Social Support for Resilient Livelihood Programme which is funded by the World Bank and the Multi-Donor Trust Fund.

Kasungu district is enlisting 7 730 additional participants following the establishment of new catchments.