FairPlanet
THE recent ‘coal rush’ by mining companies into Hwange, Zimbabwe has brought despair instead of high expectations from the local community, which accuses these entities of violating environmental regulations with impunity.
In most developing countries, foreign direct investment usually brings optimism among the general populace as it would be a positive sign of economic development and employment opportunities.
The scenario is rather different in the coal mining town of Hwange, situated in western Zimbabwe, where most of these new investors are already on the receiving end of environmental pollution and deforestation.
Pollution in Hwange, Zimbabwe’s Largest Animal Sanctuary