By MELBOURNE MUSHITU –
ZAMBIA Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) has prosecuted ZAMSO, a meat processing company in Choma’s Batoka area for failure to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before setting up an abattoir.
The failure to undertake the EIA was contrary to the Environmental Management Act number 12 of 2011 and EIA regulations number number 28 of 1997.
The company has therefore been fined K80,000.
ZEMA principal and information officer Irene Chipili said between January 1 and 11, 2016, ZAMSO meat processing company failed to undertake an EIA before setting up an abattoir project.
She said ZAMSO director Mohamed Sabriye was also charged for failure to prepare and submit an EIA report before proceeding to implement the abattoir project.
Ms Chipili said ZAMSO was fined K80,000 and failure to pay would result in a distress order for the company and nine months simple imprisonment for Mr Sabriye.
She said the court had also ordered ZAMSO to cease any operations at the site until ZEMA issued a decision letter approving the undertaking.
Ms Chipili said it was requirement of the law that all development projects should go through the Environmental Process Assessment process and adhere to the conditions of approval.
She said it was an offence to conduct business activities contrary to the provisions of the Environmental Management Act.
