Declaration of Noxious Weeds (Cap. 65:04)

[Ch6402s14]14. Responsible person in any district may petition Government to have plant declared noxious weed Any responsible person or persons in any District or portion of a District of Malawi may petition the Minister to declare any plant to be a noxious weed for the purpose of this Act in such District or portion of a District. On receipt of such petition the Minister shall cause notice to be given in the Gazette setting forth the nature of the petition and calling upon any responsible persons in the said District or portion of a District to lodge, in writing, within a reasonable time to be fixed by such notice, objections (if any) to the said petition being acceded to. Thereupon, on the expiration of the period fixed for receiving objections, the Minister shall take the same into consideration and may grant or refuse the petition. [Ch6402s15]15. Minister may declare plant to be noxious weed or remove any plant from list of noxious weeds Notwithstanding the last preceding section, the Minister may at any time, by notice published in the Gazette, declare any plant to be a noxious weed, either throughout the whole of Malawi or in one or more Districts or portions of Districts thereof, and may by like notice remove any plant from the list of plants declared noxious weeds: Provided that at least thirty days before exercising his powers under this section the Minister shall, by publication in the Gazette and in the local press, signify his intention of declaring a plant to be a noxious weed. [Ch6402s16]16. Regulations The Minister may make, alter and amend Regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, prescribing the measures to be taken to prevent the introduction and spread of noxious weeds, the authority and duties of weed inspectors and generally for the better carrying out of the objects and purposes of this Act. The penalty for contravention of any such regulation shall be that prescribed in section 7. SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION DECLARATION OF NOXIOUS WEEDS under s. 15 The following plants have been declared to be noxious weeds throughout the whole of Malawi in terms of section 15 of the Act— Indian hemp G.N. 167/1953 Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth) G.N. 97/1956 Acanthospermum hispidum DC (upright Starbur) G.N. 20/1957 Lantana Camara G.N. 122/1961