National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has warned the Machakos county government against unlawful discharge of raw sewage in Athi River town, Mavoko Sub County.
Speaking to this writer on the phone on Thursday, Kennedy Odhiambo, NEMA County director, Machakos, said they had issued the Machakos government with a notice to stop further pollution of the environment at the county slaughter house located at Slaughter Slum in Athi River town with immediate effect.
“Our officers visited the county abattoir on Wednesday on a fact finding mission, their reports state that the situation is very bad since the workers at the slaughter house have been for more than two years discharging raw sewage in the environment on streets hence posing health risks to residents of the Slaughter Slum where it is located,” said Odhiambo.
Mr Odhiambo said the government had been instructed that operations at the slaughter house be suspended until a recommended sewer system be constructed at the facility for proper discharge of raw sewage.
“The situation is pathetic, there is shortage of water for cleaning the slaughter house, its blood tank has collapsed hence all the waste is poured into the environment, there is no pre-treatment of the waste from the abattoir due to non functional sewer system, the waste water from hide and skins is disposed into sack pit which has been poorly constructed and therefore there is a high possibility of contaminating ground water,” said Odhiambo.
The director said NEMA had given leadership of the Machakos government 24 hours to submit a commitment letter to the environment regulatory agency indicating that all the problems at the slaughter house will be fixed as a matter of agency.
He directed that all operations at the abattoir be suspended until the slaughter house is put to order.
Odhiambo said NEMA will close down the slaughter house if the 24 hours notice elapses without response from the government.
“We will close down the facility any time after the 24 hours notice elapses because the situation is pathetic, the government must abide by the order and ensure there are no more operations going on under the slaughter house’s current situation,” said Odhiambo.