Tinotenda Hove – At least 11 people have been arrested in Mashonaland Central Province for illegal sand abstraction and transportation as authorities intensify efforts to combat environmental crimes contributing to land degradation.

Officials from the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Republic Police, apprehended the suspects during a recent operation in Chiweshe’s Muguse Village near Mwenje Dam and Matare Village in Manhenga, Bindura.

The suspects were issued with fines for extracting and transporting sand from unregistered sites, EMA provincial environmental education and publicity officer Mr Maxwell Mupotsa said.

“Sand abstraction should be done at registered sites designated by the local authority and must comply with an approved Environmental Management Plan from EMA,” Mr Mupotsa explained.

He noted a growing trend of people mining and transporting sand without the necessary licences and documentation required under environmental regulations.

The crackdown comes amid rising demand for sand driven by rapid urbanisation and increased construction activities, which has led to widespread illegal extraction in communal areas.

“Illegal sand abstraction accelerates land degradation and affects ecologically sensitive areas that also uphold our cultural heritage,” Mr Mupotsa warned.

“In communal areas, roads, wetlands and even graveyards are increasingly coming under threat due to the growing demand for sand,” he added.

Mr Mupotsa said sand extraction is a major driver of land degradation across urban, peri-urban, and rural service centres, as many operators mine from undesignated points and abandon pits without rehabilitation.

He also highlighted the broader environmental impacts of illegal sand mining, including soil erosion, water pollution, destruction of agricultural land, air pollution from dust, and damage to roads and infrastructure.

Under Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007 for Environmental Impact Assessment and Ecosystem Protection, no person is allowed to excavate, remove, or transport sand for commercial purposes without a licence issued by EMA. Those wishing to extract sand must first secure a designated site from the local authority and submit an Environmental Management Plan before a licence can be issued.

Mr Mupotsa urged local authorities to register sand abstraction sites at the start of each year and ensure progressive rehabilitation of mined areas to minimise environmental damage.

“Routine inspections will continue to ensure compliance and protect the environment from further degradation,” he said, warning that offenders risk hefty fines or imprisonment if found guilty of violating environmental laws.