They have been issued with orders to shut down or immediately install the required waste interceptors to avoid serious health hazards and pollution of the environment.
Timothy Nyoka, the EMA’s Midlands spokesperson said 38 polluters in Gweru had been served with the orders, among them 11 popular service stations – Redan, Engen, Dulys, Dollar Motors, Total and Trek. 23 garages and three food outlets were also issued with orders to comply with environmental regulations on pollution after it was discovered that they were emitting undesirable substances into underground water systems.
“We also rounded up other polluters in Kwekwe and Gokwe numbering about 100 while Shurugwi, Mberengwa and Zvishavane had 15,” said Nyoka.
In 2012, EMA fined the Gweru council $5,000 over the seeping of raw sewage into Gweru River from the medium density suburb Athlone. This promoted the director of engineering services, Jones Nanthambwe, to initiate the first phase of the rehabilitation project that saw the installation of new treated water pipelines to replace collapsed sewers.
“Our blitz was also in line with a cabinet directive that was given to all companies countrywide last year. They were told to take the required measures to avoid water pollution by June 30 or face revocation of their operating licenses,” Nyoka said, adding that the blitz would also target other potential culprits like funeral parlours, abattoirs, breweries, tanneries, chemical processing plants and beverage producers.
“We are calling all firms to comply and establish waste interceptors so that they don’t suffer unnecessary inconvenience,” he said.
Post published in: Environment