ILLEGAL gold panning and use of mercury by artisanal miners is causing pollution and land degradation along Mazowe River in Shamva.

Mazowe River is the source of water for Shamva residents.

The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) has since raised the red flag over water pollution.

Acting provincial development coordinator Mr Cosmas Chiringa said illegal mining activities taking place along Mazowe River have caused serious harm to flora and fauna.

“This has led to heavy pollution and siltation of the river,” he said.

“In the process mercury is being used thereby causing a serious health hazard to residents of Shamva district whose drinking water come from this perennial river.”

The district civil protection committee visited the sites last week.

“The situation is nasty. To make matters worse the gold panners are highly connected,” he said.

“The illegal gold panners are sponsored by some individuals and they normally evade police raids,” said Mr Chiringa.

Mr Chiringa instructed the police and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to act.

Shamva District Development Coordinator Mr White Nkoma said illegal activities are causing siltation.

EMA environment education and publicity officer Mr Maxwell Mupotsa said a joint taskforce was set up and raids were conducted in the area.

He said it is difficult to monitor and control individual gold panners because they always manage to escape and return after the raid.

Mr Mupotsa urged people to form syndicates and make use of EMA’s small-scale miner’s template.