Yatta Member of Parliament Francis Mwangangi has urged leaders in Machakos County to join hands in regulating sand harvesting in the region.
Speaking to journalists in Machakos, Mwangangi said sand harvesting needs to be regulated in order to make it profitable to the people and transform the county.
“The sand harvesting business is booming due to the growing demand in the construction industry and the time has come to regulate this vital commodity,” he said.
The MP said the practice of irresponsible and unsustainable sand harvesting has led to environmental devastation. The youthful MP revealed that more harm is done in the county than in the city of Nairobi and its environs who are the main beneficiaries of the business.
“Sand scooping adversely affects surface water quality and quantity and damages the aquatic ecosystem,” he said.
He added that haulage of sand by heavy trucks causes environmental degradation by accelerating soil erosion and affecting soil stability.