By Moses Nyirenda

Lilongwe, March 1, Mana: Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Liana Kakhobwe Chapota, has urged the public and stakeholders in the water sector to take an active part in planting trees in the country in order to conserve and sustain water sources.

She made the plea in Lilongwe on Friday when she presided over the tree planting exercise organized by Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) in partnership with Malawi Housing Corporation (MHC) at Lilongwe River catchment area at Malingunde.

Chapota said trees play a greater role in conserving water sources such as rivers and dams hence the need for more trees to be planted if water sources are to be conserved and sustained.  

“It is an undeniable relationship between trees and water sources because trees give a good vegetative cover which helps to conserve water resources hence the need to plant more trees to sustain water sources,” Chapota said.

She applauded LWB and MHC for initiating planting of over 6,000 trees at Malingunde saying, once they grow, the trees would assist protect Lilongwe River catchment area while at the same time sustaining availability of water in the river.

She, therefore, urged the two institutions to continue planting trees in order for the country to have more trees that would assist in water conservation.

“My advice to LWB and MHC is that planting of trees should be an ongoing exercise not only in the rainy season but also off season,” she said.

LWB Board Member, Lingalireni Mihowa, said the exercise was organized to plant trees that would protect Lilongwe River catchment where the Board sources its water.

“We thought of planting trees to conserve Lilongwe River which supports our ability to supply quality water to the people of Lilongwe,” Mihowa said.

MHC Board Chairperson, Reverend Jaleck Kachipanda, said they partnered with LWB in tree planting after noting the role that LWB plays in supplying water to the people of Lilongwe including those living in MHC houses.