|
|
Tanzania: Government bans plastic bags, mountain logging
Fri. April 07, 2006 09:56 am. -
Apunyu Bonny
(SomaliNet) Tanzania's Vice president Ali Mohamed Shein revealed late Saturday that Tanzanian government has banned plastic bags and containers and ordered people to stop farming and logging on Africa's highest mountain, among other environmental measures.
Speaking on state owned television late Saturday, Vice President Ali Mohamed Shein said the government's ban on the importation, manufacture and sale of plastic bags, plastic drinking water and juice containers will take effect in October so that manufacturers and importers have time to find alternatives.
"The ban of plastic bags and containers is necessary to protect our rapid degrading environment," said Shein.
Since Tanzanian environmental authorities are going to have to rely on the country's inefficient local government authorities to enforce the measures, it is not clear how effective the ban will be.
According to Shein, the Tanzanian government had also ordered farmers and people logging trees on Mt. Kilimanjaro to leave the mountain within two months. He said that 91,300 hectares (225,000 acres) of trees are lost every year through indiscriminate tree felling.
Mean while, Scientists have warned that Mt. Kilimanjaro's glaciers may disappear by 2020 because of environmental degradation.
Like wise, Tanzania wants Burundian, Ugandan and Rwandan livestock herders to stop using water and pasture in northwestern Tanzanian as they have done in the past because of either conflict or drought in their home countries, Shein said.
Tanzania’s action follows the east African country's prolonged drought because of failed rains that have forced the country to introduced power rationing.
News Category: Somalia
Latest Headlines
|
News 
