NEMC warns on emptying effluent in built-up areas, flood waters

NEMC warns on emptying effluent in built-up areas, flood waters

By Petter Keasi, Dar es salaam

THE National Environment Management Council (NEMC) warned yesterday that people or institutions who will take advantage of current short rains and direct waste matter to flood waters, storm water canals or rivers will be punished severely.

NEMC Director General, Dr Samuel Gwamaka, told reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday the NEMC learned in the past that some reckless people and institutions were directing effluent to moving waters and that contaminated water either ended up in residential areas or in water bodies.

“Some irresponsible people secretly take advantage of heavy rains to pour out waste from latrines or factories.  Those doing so are not only breaking the law but they are also endangering other creatures’ lives, harming people’s health and swelling up public health. Culprits will be severely punished,” he warned. 

 Chemical waste, he explained, have inherent dangerous elements to health and lives people and creatures, and that the government spends a lot of money to treat people or animals that get in contact with such elements.

The DG called for public cooperation, giving the following telephone numbers to report offenders to the council: 0800110116 or 0683540344. He wondered why some people found it convenient for them to direct effluent to flood waters, drainage canals, valleys and rivers.

“We want to jointly end this dangerous habit. We have asked district, municipal and city councils to make by-laws to fight this menace.  In the meantime, we shall use grassroots environment officers to enforce the law and punish culprits.”

Dar es Salaam residents, he said, should follow guideline given by the Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASA), further explaining that 100 Dar es Salaam environment officers have deployed to enforce the law. “We are serious about this thing,” he cautioned city residents.

Using the mass media, NEMC working under supervision of the Vice-President’s Office, is credited for educating the public and ending use of carrier plastic bags in six months.

Dr Gwamaka named the remaining challenges as removal of bags trapped in mud,  water bodies and other places and removing new bags from the market that do not meet standards set by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS).He thanked Tanzania for cooperating with NEMC and other authorities in protecting environment.