Kasungu Council embraces environment in its reforms

Kasungu District Council has embraced environmental protection and sustainability as a key item in its reform areas.

In its proposal to the Public Service Reforms Commission (PRSC), the council has indicated that it wants forest cover in most areas of the district.

On Friday, Kasungu district commissioner Reverend Moses Chimphepo said in an interview that protecting the environment is emphasised in the reforms.

“We have presented our reform proposals as a council and realising that trees are very important, we have also come up with strategies to ensure that we have many trees.

“The reforms have a component where there is need to avoid environmental degradation, so we will need to encourage natural regeneration of trees and afforestation,” he said.

Chimphepo also said that they have agreed on the need for institutions in the district to have woodlots and that village woodlots should be a priority.

Traditional Authority Njombwa welcomed the idea of villages having woodlots or forests.

He said it is important for chiefs to be in the forefront protecting the forests as a way of encouraging people to plant and take care of trees.

“Each village head must have a forest and if they don’t they must be punished. If they fail to have these forests government should make it a must that they don’t get their honoraria,” said Njombwa. n