A proposed Kisumu County Bill seeks to fine people up to Sh200,000 if they are found guilty of degrading the environment.
The Protection and Conservation of the Environment Bill 2014 also prescribes a six-month jail term for people who carry out activities that are against environment conservation.
The proposed Bill was presented for public analysis on Wednesday at Kisumu’s Tom Mboya Labour College.
Participants at the forum identified several gaps and concerns after going through the proposed draft.
County environment director John Sande told journalists that the draft will be subjected to stakeholder participation to add value to and harmonize it. He said the intention of the forum is to come up with a Bill without contradictions or overlaps.
“One key being that the areas we had proposed, are resulting double taxation, where the county government had proposed to vary certain fee relating activities concerning environment conservation and other agencies are already levying similar fees,” said Sande.
Sande said the county is experiencing unsustainable exploitation of natural resources as many people in the county try to earn a living.
“We have issues of sand harvesting which affect our environment. Sand is over-exploited and it becomes dangerous for the people who excavate the sand,” added Sande.
He said in worst scenarios, people have invaded into private property to harvest murrum and soil for brick making.
“We are looking at ways of working with these groups to organize the sand, rock, murrum harvesting so that it is beneficial to the community at the same time we are able to the save the environment against over-exploitation,” said Sande.
He added that the stakeholders are putting measures to protect the residents of Kisumu County against pollution in line with the Constitution.
“We are looking at how we can strengthen the national regulations that are already in existence, especially on noise pollution. We have clubs and churches that make noise all the time,” said Sande.
Sande said the main aim of public participation is to instill the spirit of devolution by proposing the appropriate structures and membership at county and sub-county level.