Farmers to sue NEMA over pollution
May 17, 2009
FARMERS of Nyakashashara village in Kiruhura district have resolved to sue the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) over pollution and damaging of their houses caused by a stone quarry in their area.
By Felix Basiime
FARMERS of Nyakashashara village in Kiruhura district have resolved to sue the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) over pollution and damaging of their houses caused by a stone quarry in their area.
In an April 16 letter to the resident district commissioner, Alinemary Kemerwa, the farmers, said since the stone blasts started last year their cattle could not graze the dusty pastures.
Led by their chairman Bashaija Rutaraka they said stray stones had spread over their farms and contaminated the water sources.
The farmers also said their houses had been shuttered by the blasts and the old people could not cope with the night drilling.
The decision comes after the authority failed to implement resolutions from an April 22, 2008 meeting between the farmers, the authority and Reynolds, a construction company working on the Kampala-Mbarara road.
The meeting resolved that Reynolds, which is doing the stone quarrying, compensates the affected people.
“Since then we have never had any response from Reynolds and the authority,†the letter read.
Bashaija said: “The blasts are done without notice and we have been forced to shift our elderly people to Kampala for safety.â€
“Since we are not getting any help from the authority that by law is supposed to protect and conserve the environment, we shall sue it,†he added.
Reynolds had agreed to set up water tanks for the affected farms and to rebuild the damaged buildings.
According to the NEMA Act, stone quarrying is a regulated activity and the authority is responsible for ensuring that the citizens’ right to a clean and healthy environment is adhered to.
FARMERS of Nyakashashara village in Kiruhura district have resolved to sue the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) over pollution and damaging of their houses caused by a stone quarry in their area.
In an April 16 letter to the resident district commissioner, Alinemary Kemerwa, the farmers, said since the stone blasts started last year their cattle could not graze the dusty pastures.
Led by their chairman Bashaija Rutaraka they said stray stones had spread over their farms and contaminated the water sources.
The farmers also said their houses had been shuttered by the blasts and the old people could not cope with the night drilling.
The decision comes after the authority failed to implement resolutions from an April 22, 2008 meeting between the farmers, the authority and Reynolds, a construction company working on the Kampala-Mbarara road.
The meeting resolved that Reynolds, which is doing the stone quarrying, compensates the affected people.
“Since then we have never had any response from Reynolds and the authority,†the letter read.
Bashaija said: “The blasts are done without notice and we have been forced to shift our elderly people to Kampala for safety.â€
“Since we are not getting any help from the authority that by law is supposed to protect and conserve the environment, we shall sue it,†he added.
Reynolds had agreed to set up water tanks for the affected farms and to rebuild the damaged buildings.
According to the NEMA Act, stone quarrying is a regulated activity and the authority is responsible for ensuring that the citizens’ right to a clean and healthy environment is adhered to.