ZESCO GOES GREEN
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By Karen Mwelwa in Ikelenge District, North-Western Province
ZESCO Limited has joined the rest of the world by going green by embarking on a national program of tree planting, which is in line with government’s policy, aiming at encouraging all stake holders and other cooperating partners to plant trees.
ZESCO Strategy, Corporate Services Director, Changala Nswana, said it is the responsibility of every well-meaning citizen to care about the environment and plant trees.
Mr Nswana said this at the tree planting exercise in Ikelenge District, North-Western province under the theme: “Planting a minimum of one hector of trees per year.”
However, Mr Nswana has bemoaned the high levels of deforestation in the district which is against the sustenance of hydropower schemes which depends on well vegetated river catchment areas.
Mr Nswana was quick to mention that a good forested river catchment is key to the sustenance of the river systems which the hydropower schemes depend on.
“It is for this reason, that ZESCO has decided to lead by example by ensuring that a minimum of one hector of trees are planted each year in consultation with the forestry department and other stakeholders ,”He said.
He further said that ZESCO has identified severely degraded catchment areas throughout the country, where the tree planting exercise will be undertaken each year.
Mr Nswana also mentioned that in 2017, two areas have been identified where the tree planting exercise will be undertaken, the source of the Zambezi river and the Lunzua river catchment.
He also reaffirmed ZESCO’s commitment towards supporting forest re vegetation to reduce emissions from deforestation as well as promoting sustainable agriculture which is another major contributor to indiscriminate cutting of trees.
And North-Western Province Deputy Provincial Permanent Secretary Alfred Chinji said ZESCO’s resolve to contribute to the government policy of encouraging reforestation in order to support sustainable maintenance of forests to combat climate change cannot be over emphasized.
Mr Chinji has since called on other stakeholders to take up the challenge of replanting trees in their areas of interest.
