Kerio families plea to NEMA over pollution



By Kenya News Agency

OVER 1,400 families whose land was set aside for the mining of
fluorspar in the Kerio Valley have appealed to the National
Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to protect their right to a
clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

The community complained that Kenya Fluorspar Company (KFC) has
continued to expose them to constant health hazards through its
mining activities.

Investigations by KNA revealed that people still lived within the
mining environs although they were to be relocated when the land was
earmarked for mining in the 1970s.

A community rights group formed to champion for their rights,
Kimarer Sugutek Community Rights Group, accused the mining company
of disregarding environmental laws by the level of noise from
explosives and discharging harmful effluents into the Kerio River
and appealed to NEMA to act against it.

The groups secretary, David Seurei and elder, Nehemiah Chepkwony and
Martha Keitany informed KNA that three dams the company used to
empty its effluents were filled up with fluoride silt claiming the
company was now discharging effluents in to River Kerio and on land.
Laboratory analysis on water, milk, honey, soils and plants
conducted by a lecturer at Egerton University indicated high levels
of concentration of fluoride, phosphate and sulphate were way above
the WHO/NEMA recommended levels.

The fluorspar processing operations are responsible for the observed
contamination of soils, water, plant and high levels of mineral
content in animal's tissue, the report indicates.

NEMA recently wanted to shut down companies including fluorspar that
failed to minimize environmental pollution. NEMA's Director-General,
Professor Ratemo Michieka said industries must adhere to
environmental conservation rules.

http://www.timesnews.co.ke/05dec05/nwsstory/news3.html