Fri, 16 Feb 2018 12:58:41 +0000
By LINDA SOKO TEMBO
Officers from the Zambia Environmental management Agency (ZEMA) and Zambia Police on Wednesday night arrested two Chinese Managers at Silverest Garden housing complex for discharging sewer effluent into Chalimbana stream.
Speaking during a site visit to Silverest Garden, ZEMA corporate affairs manager, Irene Chipili, said the arrest of the duo followed a tip from the community.
Ms Chipili said ZEMA had received numerous complaints from the community regarding the discharge of effluent at the Silverest Garden Complex in November last year.
“We had received complaints and we have been following up the matter since December last year. ZEMA used the provision of the Environmental Management Act number 12 of 2011, we issued an enforcement order to the property managers of Silverest Gardens Housing Complex,” said Ms Chipili. She said although management at Silverest Garden Housing Complex was in the process of constructing a mini treatment plant to deal with a long term solution of sewer discharge, they were in the short term supposed to use a vacuum tanker to basically manage the sewer.“The information that was coming from the community was that they were discharging sewer into the stream during awkward hours.
But with the help of Zambia Police after the tip-off we managed to catch the two Chinese on Wednesday and we confiscated the pump that was being used to discharge the effluent into the stream,” she said.
Ms. Chipili said the duo has since been charged with lawful discharge of the pollutant into the environment contrary to section 35 sub section 1 of the environmental act number 12 of 2011. The second count is failing to comply with the account order issued by ZEMA contrary 108 of the Environmental Act of 2011.
Meanwhile, Silverest Garden Housing Complex stated that the company had paid Lusaka City Council to be helping with pumping the sewer using the vacuum tanker but that LCC was not available each time they called them.
“When we call them they say we are on our way or we have no fuel. We signed a long term contract so that they can pump everyday.”
