Dar es Salaam. The government yesterday gave a 14-day ultimatum to a factory to rectify environmental defects, including sewage system that directs waste into a nearby river.
Deputy Minister of State in the Office of the Vice President (Union and Environment), Mr Hamad Chande, ordered the management of Hengn Ji Investment factory that recycles nylon bags in the city that they should take remedial measures.
The deputy minister, said if they did not comply with the order, the government would not hesitate to close the factory that is engaged in making raw materials for producing various types of bags.
Mr Chande issued the order yesterday during a visit to the factory located at Urafiki industrial area to identify various challenges including those that endanger human health.
Before going to the factory, Mr Chande, accompanied by officials from the National Environment Management Council (NEMC), went to Nyakasangwe river in Boko on the outskirts of the city.
At the factory, Mr Chande witnessed how the factory’s sewage went directly into Ng’ombe River without taking any protective measures including treatment to get it to the required level before allowing the waste to the river.
“The factory has not been following the legal and environmental procedures, even its employees are undertaking their duties in a difficult environment because they do not have the protective gear. They don’t even have shoes or gloves,” he said.
He therefore directed them to correct the defects from Thursday (yesterday), otherwise he would take legal action including shutting the factory down without pitying anyone.
Factory manager Calvin Payowela said: “We have received the government’s directives. We promise to act on them. We failed in water supply,” he said.
Mr Chande called on the factory management to ensure they effectively enforce labour laws, including the purchase of protective gear for their workers, as well as those for security guards while performing their duties.
NEMC East-North Zone acting manager Lilian John said Ng’ombe River water is used for various purposes including watering vegetable gardens along the river, but the factory had not put in place a system to treat the water before release.
“They recycle bags from garbage dumps,” she said.
Wami Basin-Ruvu Basin officer Jeremiah Lucas said the factory was discharging sewage into the river without observing national and international standards, which is an offense under the mwaia Water Act 2009 as well as the mwaia Environment Act 2004, and therefore deserve to be penalized.
