The district council in Salima has challenged people affected by natural disasters such as floods and heavy winds to make good use of this year’s tree planting season to plant trees without expecting money.

 

He said with or without being paid money, traditional leaders and individuals must take it upon themselves to plant trees this season which is the only sure way of preventing winds and floods.

 

"As a department together with department of forestry we are implementing an afforestation project where we want communities in disaster prone areas mainly like traditional authority Ndindi, to plant trees along the river to prevent flooding," Magalasi said.

 

Meanwhile, Group Village headman Phaka of T/A Ndindi’s area whose area was affected by the flooding of Lifidzi River has since committed to take the role of encouraging his subject to work in order to prevent re-occurrence of the disaster as it has been a trend.

 

Phaka admitted that his subjects were reluctant to plant trees along Lifidzi Riverfor free as they were also told to provide sand and do other works during the construction of a dyke for free.

 

“This is not the first time our area has been hit by floods due to flooding of Lifidzi river. And the cause is the same. Hence I have already started talking to my subjects to take the tree planting project seriously as it is meant to help us despite being a free exercise," he said.

 

Over two hundred and fifty households have this far been affected by natural disasters in Salima district alone since the onset of the rains.