By A, KNA
As the climate change speeds up and water scarcity becomes a crisis, a group of environmentalists from Molo are appealing to the government through the ministry of environment to enhance patrols along the river banks to flash-out those practicing human activities which don’t support the protection of water banks.
Speaking to the press at Molo nursery farm, a seedling farm which has produced of five million indigenous trees, the environmentalist led by Peter Waweru called on the ministry of environment re-examine the ongoing pollution in the rivers saying it risk causing water shortage and eventually dry in the area which for many years enjoyed adequate rainfall.
The environmentalist singled out increased sewage discharged by private investors in Molo terming it unhealthy practice even as they call on the county government of Nakuru to access all buildings if they are in compliance with NEMA regulation.
“The ministry of environment must move its operations from Nairobi and have impromptu visits in the forests and examine ongoing farming along the river here in Nakuru County and across the country. People are farming along the river banks interfering with water table which might result in drying of most rivers,” said
“We have another big problem where private investors are constructing buildings without approval from NEMA and eventually end up discharging their sewage waste into the river hence posing a threat to both human and environment,” he added.
The sentiment was echoed by Njoroge Karuiki noting that with the ongoing climate change resulting from factory pollution in major towns and industrious nations, Kenya must encourage its residents to plant indigenous trees which not only protect the environment but also offer an alternative solution to already polluted environment.
“I want to encourage the government to advocate for the indigenous trees which are friendly to the environment and for many years protected our water catchment area. Some trees people are planting for commercial purpose nowadays are unfriendly to environment and are the led course to the kind of drought we are experiencing nowdays,”
“There must be a policy on meters one must observe from the river bank if they want to cultivate along the river. Also the ongoing deforestation is unhealthy and it will lead to the county of Nakuru to begin experiencing prolonged droughts,” he added.
According to the United Nations World Water Development Report, an estimated 64-71 per cent of natural wetlands have been lost since 1900 as a result of human activity.
This situation poses a threat to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6, which commits the world to ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.
“Restoring forests, grasslands and natural wetlands, reconnecting rivers to floodplains, creating buffers of vegetation along watercourses, avoid building on riparian and water catchment areas these are some examples of natural based solutions that can help the management of water availability and quality,” Said Njoroge.
With water security being one of the most tangible and fastest-growing social, political and economic challenges faced by many people in Sub Saharan Africa, there is an urgent need for the government to continue championing tree planting campaigns nationwide so as it can help protect water catchment areas.
It’s estimated that by 2050, the world’s population will have grown by an estimated 2 billion people and global water demand could be up to 30 per cent higher than today. It is paramount that we preserve, protect and restore the water catchment areas to avoid impending a mega-crisis in near future.
