NEMA ON COUNCILS.

NEMA ON COUNCILS.
JANE MUGAMBI

Three local authorities in Kirinyaga County have been given a three months notice to fence off their refuse dump sites or face legal action.

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) is concerned that the councils have been dumping in open grounds where scavengers easily spread the refuse posing danger to human lives.

Kirinyaga County Environment Officer Samuel Nyaga said today that Kerugoya/Kutus municipality, Kagio/Sagana town council and Kirinyaga county council must comply with the directives.



He noted that the authorities have to erect a chain link or concrete walls around their designated dumping sites as per the waste disposal regulations.



“The local authorities have to comply with the regulations as laid down else they will face legal action from NEMA,” said Nyaga.

Nyaga further decried poor waste management and urged the local authorities to put up more refuse receptors in all major urban centres.

But the officer also blamed tenants of dumping litter outside their residential plots making the areas filthy and risky for habitation.

Most drainage has been choked by polythene bags especially in Kagio and Mwea towns where refuse has littered all the streets.

“We must all take responsibility by ensuring we dump litter in designated places or else the premises will be shut down,” said Nyaga.