adminThe Environmental Management Agency (Ema) has come up with a raft of regulations that will push for stern action against polluters. The development comes in the wake of continued criticism of Ema’s failure to enforce punitive measures against polluters. However, the new regulations, which are now being drafted into a Statutory Instrument, will impose tough measures that will see polluters being held to account for their actions. Ema spokesperson Mr Steady Kangata said the regulations will compel offenders to pay for damaging the environment.
“We will soon have the polluter-pays principle where any company or individual caught polluting the environment will be asked to pay for the cost of reversing the damage,” he said.
“In the event that the damage is severe and cannot be reversed, an alternative will be sought and the polluter will pay for the cost.
“For example, if an offender pollutes a water body and it is deemed unsuitable for use by a community, sinking of boreholes would be required as an alternative to provide drinking water and the offender will pay the cost of setting up the boreholes.”
Mr Kangata said for a long time, the authority has been criticised for failing to take strong measures against those harming the environment.
He said the proposed regulations would make polluters think twice.
Mr Kangata said recent revelations that funeral parlours, abattoirs, restaurants and petroleum companies were dumping waste into the city’s main water sources needed combined efforts to be dealt with.
“We have been fining council for failing to deal with polluters in Harare, but we cannot continue fining the authority forever. That is why we are now sitting down and trying to come up with a lasting solution,” he said.
derick.khumalo
Online Reporter