‘Pollution offenders could face K400,000 fine’
By Thomas Ngala
THE companies involved in the recent severe pollution of Mwambashi River and Kafue River could face a fine of about K400,000 and imprisonment of up to 10 years of the directors if found guilty of environmental crimes, a coalition of non-governmental organisations dealing with environmental issues has said.
This the severe acid contamination of the two rivers resulting from the collapse of a tailings dam owned by Sino-Metals Zambia Limited in Kalulushi District of the Copperbelt Province.
Zambia Environmental Justice Coalition representative Mehluli Batakathi from Conservation Advocates Zambia attributed the pollution to negligence.
Batakathi told journalists the accident could have been avoided.
“This signifies a very serious negligence and also partly regulatory failure on the part of the institutions that are charged with regulating these mines and protecting our environment, which has resulted into a disaster of unimaginable proportions which keeps on spreading every day,” he said.
“I would like to commend the government for taking the initiative to try and have a roundtable discussion among various stakeholders that have concerns over this disaster. It is a good gesture that has been done and we hope that it is going to lead to tangible results. However, as CSOs [civil society organisations], what we haven’t seen is the government coming out strongly against the perpetrators of this environmental crime. And to begin to question whether the robust framework the government has or is it serious about punishing environmental crimes.”
Batakathi said there should be an incentive for being a good investor and a sanction for being a bad investor.
He said that was negligence on the part of the investors involved and demanded that action be taken to serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders.
“So, the law provides for a sanction, a fine of about K400,000 plus imprisonment of up to 10 years of the directors of the company. So, that option hasn’t been taken and everybody is silent about it. So, as CSOs we would like to see proper deterrent measures being put in place so that we stop these things from happening in the future,” Batakathi said.
“There should be an incentive for being a good investor and a sanction.”
He added, “So, that is our recommendation that the government should take the aspect of environmental crimes very seriously.”
Crime should be punished to deter would-be offenders.
“I mean, if any of us commits a crime, robs a bank, we will be sent to prison because it is a crime. So, damaging the environment equally is a crime according to our legal framework and we feel that more stringent action has to be taken against investors from wherever they are who engage in these vices, thank you.”
Nkana Water and Sewerage Company had to shut down its water pumping stations and distribution network to save residents of the affected towns.
