MP Ekanya to sue Tororo Cement
Jan 22, 2009
Arrangements for filing a civil suit against Tororo Cement Industry over depletion of the environment have been concluded.
By Moses Nampala
Arrangements for filing a civil suit against Tororo Cement Industry over depletion of the environment have been concluded.
Tororo county MP Geoffrey Ekanya said the National Environment Management Authority’s (NEMA) negligence and the reluctance by the management of the factory warranted him to seek legal redress.
“For the last 15 years, the factory management has tormented the community and no action has been taken against them,†Ekanya told The New Vision in Tororo town.
He said he had engaged the factory management in over the issue without much success.
“We have patiently waited for NEMA to act but nothing has been done,†said Ekanya.
The MP said the environmental impact assessment reports indicated that the cement dust had a devastating effect on health and property.
The report also shows that a sizable part of the community around the factory suffered interminable respiratory ailments.
During evaluation, the residents said dust increased at night.
A section of the public noted that besides the dust, the factory also released an obnoxious odour.
“Dark chemicals from the iron sheets wing of the factory drain into the streams and wells,†the residents added.
They also complained that cement dust weakened the iron sheets on their houses.
However, the factory’s executive director, B. M. Gagran, denied that management was adamant.
He said the iron sheets wing of the factory was closed two years ago.
“We are replacing the old mills with new machinery worth $25m (about sh50b),†he said.
Gagran further noted that they had procured pollution control equipment at a cost of $15m about (sh30b).
Arrangements for filing a civil suit against Tororo Cement Industry over depletion of the environment have been concluded.
Tororo county MP Geoffrey Ekanya said the National Environment Management Authority’s (NEMA) negligence and the reluctance by the management of the factory warranted him to seek legal redress.
“For the last 15 years, the factory management has tormented the community and no action has been taken against them,†Ekanya told The New Vision in Tororo town.
He said he had engaged the factory management in over the issue without much success.
“We have patiently waited for NEMA to act but nothing has been done,†said Ekanya.
The MP said the environmental impact assessment reports indicated that the cement dust had a devastating effect on health and property.
The report also shows that a sizable part of the community around the factory suffered interminable respiratory ailments.
During evaluation, the residents said dust increased at night.
A section of the public noted that besides the dust, the factory also released an obnoxious odour.
“Dark chemicals from the iron sheets wing of the factory drain into the streams and wells,†the residents added.
They also complained that cement dust weakened the iron sheets on their houses.
However, the factory’s executive director, B. M. Gagran, denied that management was adamant.
He said the iron sheets wing of the factory was closed two years ago.
“We are replacing the old mills with new machinery worth $25m (about sh50b),†he said.
Gagran further noted that they had procured pollution control equipment at a cost of $15m about (sh30b).