Service station operators summoned

Herald Reporter
Government has summoned four major service station operators and a transport company for failing to put measures in place to reduce the amount of pollutants they are releasing into drinking water sources.
The Inter-Ministerial Cabinet Committee on Water Pollution made the decision after a report presented by the task force revealed that some of the service station operators had no plans in sight to mitigate pollution.

This comes after the Environmental Management Agency closed all service stations in Plumtree last week for not installing waste interceptors to curb pollution. The agency re-opened them after realising that the town had no other source of fuel.

Environment, Water and Climate Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, who is a member of the committee which is chaired by Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo, said they summoned Zuva Petroleum, Total, Redan, Petro Trade and Unifreight to appear before the committee on Monday.

“Work must be done to ensure that we end pollution from service stations. We have summoned the major fuel companies and we will also invite the Minister of Energy and Power Development (Dzikamai Mavhaire) so that he can read the riot act to the companies,” he said.

Minister Kasukuwere said Government was pleased with the work carried out by Harare City Council in addressing pollution as its two sewer treatment plans were now working hence the city was not discharging raw sewerage into water sources. The committee was established to probe causes of water pollution and raw sewage disposal and make recommendations in line with provisions of the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset). The Zim-Asset cluster on infrastructure and utilities stipulates that for the economy to register growth in a competitive and effective manner, there is need to develop robust, elaborate and resilient infrastructure in water and sanitation. It also includes the ministries of Finance and Economic Development; Energy and Power Development; Industry and Commerce; Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development; Mines and Mining Development and Health and Child Care.