New drive for the environment in Zanzibar

Environmentalists in Tanzania’s semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar say lack of awareness and negligence have greatly hindered efforts to protect the environment, which is now threatened by soil erosion, deforestation and pollution.

"Zanzibar’s environment is fragile; a lot of destruction has taken place, especially the ongoing use of sand, trees and rocks in construction works," Mberek Rashid, a commissioner in the island's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Environment, told IRIN.

In a bid to control pollution, the island’s authorities issued an ultimatum on 11 December to hotel owners and other investors to install sewage-treatment facilities on their premises or risk being barred from operating.

For years, Zanzibar had not put in place policies and laws to safeguard the environment. Only in the 1990s did the government establish an environmental department, under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Environment, which remained largely dormant. However, the island is now committed to environmental conservation.

Asha Khatib, a chief environmentalist in the ministry, said laws and policies to protect the environment were established in 1996, "but still there has been no joint effort in preventing environmental damage on the islands. We need urgent change.

"Construction of houses, tourist hotels close to the beaches, the uncontrolled disposal of waste oil, and unplanned expansion of the city have been some of the issues that need urgent attention to save the Zanzibar environment," Khatib said.

Issa Hassan, a resident of the island, said: "The majority of the people have had no idea of the importance of conserving the environment. Leaders know little, have no idea or they just neglect to conserve the environment."

The major environmental hazards in Zanzibar are soil erosion, deforestation and ocean pollution, coupled with the unchecked use of rocks and sand for construction.

Environmentalists warn that Zanzibar is now one of the world's most endangered islands because of increased destruction of water sources as well as the disposal of untreated liquid waste directly into the Indian Ocean.

To date, Zanzibar does not have environmental activist groups, nor does it have journalists specialised in environmental reporting.

"Healthy mangrove trees in most parts of Zanzibar are an indication of heavy pollution of the ocean," said Ali Juma, director of the Zanzibar Environment Department in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Environment, adding: "Biologically, when mangroves receive more nutrients from untreated wastes, they become very healthy."

The environmentalist said: "There are a number of reasons that have contributed to the escalating environmental destruction in Zanzibar, including lax environmental policy and laws."

Hamzah Rijaal, head of the environmental education and documentation department in the ministry, said many Zanzibaris, including the authorities, had not been environmentally conscious, which was holding back efforts to protect the environment.

Ali Juma, the director of the environment department, added: "Environmental destruction in Zanzibar is becoming worse. We must now review our policies and laws with the aim of controlling the situation."

He says his department was committed to implementing environmental laws, which include prosecuting people found destroying forestry for firewood or construction purposes. The department would also issue orders halting environmentally unfriendly construction, such as hotels in beach areas.

According to the island's regulations, hotels should be built at least 30 metres away from the beach. Throwing of litter into the sea is also prohibited, but a number of tourist hotels have continued to disregard these regulations.

Juma said the collection of solid wastes in Zanzibar has been another problem. "Out of about 200 tonnes of solid waste produced daily in Stone Town, the Zanzibar Municipal Council workers are only able to collect about 60 tonnes."

While there are a few septic tanks in Unguja, there are none in Pemba and all the waste is deposited directly in the ocean. Hundreds of people, mainly children, who go swimming in the ocean, are at risk of lung infections, cancer and shortened life expectancy because they swim in polluted waters.

"The raw liquid wastes main contain heavy metals such as lead and mercury which once taken by fish or people while swimming may cause health problems," Omar Suleiman, head of the information policy and research department in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said.

Members of the Social Welfare Parliamentary Committee visited the University of Dar es Salaam's Institute of Marine Sciences in September this year, where they heard that almost 100 percent of untreated liquid wastes from Stone Town and other tourist hotels go direct into the ocean.

However, Zanzibar environmentalists say the German government has agreed to fund the major rehabilitation of the drainage system in Stone Town, including the construction of a solid waste treatment plant.

Moreover, the United Nations Habitat has been encouraging the authorities to join its Sustainable City Programme, which includes improvement of sanitary and drainage systems.

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