Wake up call for ZEMA
Editor, I AM an electrician at one of the companies along Mukwa road along Lusaka’s Heavy industrial area.
The moment you walk or drive along this road from the East you are ‘greeted’ with a strong smell emanating from some manufacturing companies opposite Bata stores.
It becomes worse in the evenings as these companies discharge effluent into the drainage.
In the rainy season it is even worse since the main drainage is filled to capacity with floods mixed with the discharge from these companies.
It is a serious health hazard on our part and for motorists because at times there is a grease like solution which forms on the tarmac from the same discharge.
This makes it extremely dangerous for motorists.
My challenge is for the Zambia Environmental Agency (ZEMA) to consider an impromptu check at some of these companies.
Infact whoever will come from ZEMA will not have difficulties in identifying the culprits as the strong smell will lead them there.
To ZEMA I clearly know and understand that under the Environmental Management Act of 2011, it is your responsibility to ensure citizens a right to clean, safe and healthy environment and the duty to protect the environment.
That is why government has put in place a number of legal and institutional frameworks to guide environmental management in this country by enacting regulations.
We want to see a ZEMA which will remain committed to improving environmental management in the country by ensuring that the policies and plans are implemented and to ensure culprits discharging waste into the environment are brought to book.
Industries have the potential of destroying the environment because of substances or emissions that they release into the air.
I hope that ZEMA and those in industries will work closely to make sure necessary sustainable interventions are put in place to preserve natural resources.