Scoul cleans up polluted river
Apr 04, 2007
THE Sugar Corporation of Uganda Limited (SCOUL) has agreed to stop polluting Musamya River, which supplies drinking water to over 5,000 people in Mukono district.
By Gerald Tenywa
THE Sugar Corporation of Uganda Limited (SCOUL) has agreed to stop polluting Musamya River, which supplies drinking water to over 5,000 people in Mukono district.
The New Vision broke the pollution story late last year, after it collected water samples which the Government Chemist found to be heavily polluted.
“SCOUL releases toxic waste water into the nearby River Musamya without any treatment,†said Callist Tindimugaya, the assistant commissioner in the water and environment ministry. “The corporation has now agreed with us on a time frame within which they will stop polluting the water.â€
A meeting on the matter took place on Monday between SCOUL and a team of environmental representatives.
SCOUL is to submit an environmental audit report by the end of the month, documenting the impact of their activities on the environment and proposing ways of addressing it.
It also needs to reduce the amount of waste water to 1,055 cubic metres by the end of this year, down from 1,200 cubic metres. SCOUL further agreed to build two separate lagoons for treatment of waste water before releasing it into the river.
Over 5,000 residents in four sub-counties of Mukono district depend on the Musamya for drinking and feeding their livestock.
The river also flows into Sezibwa swamp, which is a source of water for Kayunga town.
The executive director of the National Environment Management Authority said the meeting with SCOUL was part of a new strategy to negotiate environment agreements with investors.
“Instead of being confrontational, we now enter into agreements with the investors so that we monitor the environment together,†said Dr. Aryamanya Mugisha.
“We want the businesses to exist because they are important for employment and revenue, but they should not compromise the integrity of the environment.â€
SCOUL is involved in the controversial Government plan to give away part of Mabira Forest for sugarcane production. The plan has sparked off a national and international campaign to save Mabira Forest and boycott Lugazi sugar.
THE Sugar Corporation of Uganda Limited (SCOUL) has agreed to stop polluting Musamya River, which supplies drinking water to over 5,000 people in Mukono district.
The New Vision broke the pollution story late last year, after it collected water samples which the Government Chemist found to be heavily polluted.
“SCOUL releases toxic waste water into the nearby River Musamya without any treatment,†said Callist Tindimugaya, the assistant commissioner in the water and environment ministry. “The corporation has now agreed with us on a time frame within which they will stop polluting the water.â€
A meeting on the matter took place on Monday between SCOUL and a team of environmental representatives.
SCOUL is to submit an environmental audit report by the end of the month, documenting the impact of their activities on the environment and proposing ways of addressing it.
It also needs to reduce the amount of waste water to 1,055 cubic metres by the end of this year, down from 1,200 cubic metres. SCOUL further agreed to build two separate lagoons for treatment of waste water before releasing it into the river.
Over 5,000 residents in four sub-counties of Mukono district depend on the Musamya for drinking and feeding their livestock.
The river also flows into Sezibwa swamp, which is a source of water for Kayunga town.
The executive director of the National Environment Management Authority said the meeting with SCOUL was part of a new strategy to negotiate environment agreements with investors.
“Instead of being confrontational, we now enter into agreements with the investors so that we monitor the environment together,†said Dr. Aryamanya Mugisha.
“We want the businesses to exist because they are important for employment and revenue, but they should not compromise the integrity of the environment.â€
SCOUL is involved in the controversial Government plan to give away part of Mabira Forest for sugarcane production. The plan has sparked off a national and international campaign to save Mabira Forest and boycott Lugazi sugar.