[pollution.com].
Thika West environment department will involve the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to investigate the cause of a foul smell around Engen area near Makongeni, Thika.
This has been said by Thika West Environment Officer Janet Kanini who has noted that the smell comes up in the morning and late in the evening.
"Thika is an industrial town with many manufacturing and processing factories and the smell could be coming from some of these factories," Kanini said in her office on Tuesday.
She added: "We are taking the matter very seriously because we do not want to endanger the lives of residents. The foul smell could be an indication of pollution which may lead to health problems of our people."
Residents have also called for inspection of suspected factories.
"We have been smelling this stench for weeks now but the authorities have been slow to respond. They must do something now before it is too late," said Evalyne Irungu, a resident.
Jane Nyambura said that they initially suspected it was raw sewage that had leaked nearby but dropped the thought when the sewerage line was fixed but the smell persisted.