Mr Mpina wanted to know why the industry hasn't comply with the environmental rules and regulations, however the company environmental officer Ms Halima Mtiga couldn't give any reasonable explanation.
Moreover Mr Mpina along with other officials discovered some irregularities during the inspection, some of them were the pond which kept waste water had no lining, waste water wasn't treated to the required standard and rotten meat residuals could be seen on the canals giving unpleasant odor.
The visit was done after neighbors complained on the unpleasant odor coming from the factory as well as leakage of waste water into the water sources and residential area.
Mr Mpina, personally using a stick, fished out several meat residuals from the canal that carried waste water to the ponds.
He found out that there was inadequate water released to dilute the contents, leading to accumulation of mud and the said meat residuals at the long stretch -- from the point the waste is released to the ponds.
It was after going through all the areas and braving the strong odour, that the minister consulted the environmental experts, Dr Jangu and Mr Sagata, to suggest the way forward. After consulting the respective law, they issued the verdict that was read by Dr Jangu.
The NEMC coordinator said that they had offered guidelines and advice regularly to the company, which was, however, not fully complied to while the law is clear on the consequences. He said for disobeying legal directives, the company has been fined 5m/- while it would be required to pay 15m/- within one month in case of persistence. Dr Jangu said environmental audit was done by NEMC in December 2014, finding high levels of toxic substances. The incinerator was found not to be functioning while the factory had also not put in place a waste water treatment machine and recycling plant. The company’s Human Resources Manager, Mr Lucas Mosha, told the minister that the machines would be imported within one month from India, with installment expected to take some time. Mr Mpina ordered that the fine should be paid in 14 days. He also directed NEMC officials to visit the place after two to examine if the waste canals are clean and contain enough water to dilute the toxic material. In addition to that, the officials will visit the factory to decide its fate. The minister said it would be useless to encourage investment that brings about diseases and ultimate deaths of residents. He pointed out that although the Fifth Phase Government touted more industrialisation, setting up new factories should be done in accordance with the law. The minister noted that 40 per cent of patients in the country have contracted diseases as a result of rampant filth. He blamed environmental pollution for partly being the cause of increasing cases of lung cancer.
Source: Daily News
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