KAMPALA – The Board of Directors of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has completed a weeklong fact-finding and familiarization tour of places of environmental concern in the districts of Mukono, Buikwe and Jinja. The tour started on February 5.
Led by the Board chair Prof. James Okot-Okumu, the team reached a number of industrialists, developers, local communities, together with district/urban authorities.
Leaders’ wish
During the discussions that majorly touched issues of waste disposal, sound pollution and air quality at the Council Chambers, the authorities asked NEMA to fast track the approval of a new ordinance that will compel residents in Jinja City and Jinja District to comply with the draft resolutions requiring locals, industrialists and businesses to pay for the disposal of waste.
According to the Deputy Town Clerk Peter Mawerere, industrial and sound pollution is one of the issues Jinja City is facing. He asked NEMA to compel all the industries in Jinja to have working waste-water treatment plants to avoid pollution of the Lake Victoria and other water bodies.
Case of stone quarrying
Earlier on, the Board had visited industries in Mukono and Buikwe districts such as Bavima Steel Ltd, Nile Breweries Ltd and Kakira Sugar Ltd. They also met the Njeru Municipal Council leadership.
Speaking to the communities in Buntaba Village which has eight quarries in Mukono District, Prof. Okot-Okumu said environment protection is a responsibility of all humankind.
Speaker after speaker talked ill of the negative impacts of quarrying including noise, vibrations, dust, flying stones, damage to houses, and so on.
NEMA also inspected Cementers, a plant located in Bamutakudde Village in Mukono. One quarry out of eight was closed as it faulted the environment in untold levels.