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Arusha suspends oil firm’s activities
2006-03-22 07:56:28
By Adam Ihucha, Arusha
The Arusha City Council has imposed an indefinite suspension on the operations of edible oil refining factory, Mount Meru Millers Limited, over accusations of air pollution, The Guardian has learnt.
Prior to the suspension, the management of the factory had been given a seven-day ultimatum to put its house in order by complying with health regulations, failing which it risked legal action.
’’Based on re-inspection of your factory on March 14, 2006, as a follow-up to the notice given to you on March 3, 2006, health experts exposed serious flaws that had not been rectified as per our notice of March 2 referenced MD/BM/VOL.1,’’ the council’s order reads in part.
The order, ref MD/BM/VOL.1/3, says further: ’’You are now ordered to cease all operations relating to food production until all health standards requirements have been complied with.’’
The suspension order of the Engutoto-based firm further said that, after rectifying the defects, the management should notify the council’s health department for approval to resume operations.
Contacted by phone for comment, one of the factory directors, Arvin Mital, confirmed that the factory had been handed an indefinite suspension, but declined to give details.
Instead, he referred all inquiries to the general manager, John Laizer.
Efforts to get Laizer to comment were futile, as he did not respond to our telephone calls.
The firm has for sometime been blamed for emitting smoke laden with toxic fumes into the Njiro residential area.
The polluted air in the area has put at risk the lives of about 5,000 residents in the Engutoto ward, the council says.
Area chairman Michael Mollel told journalists that his office had received complaints from local residents and was in the process of scheduling a meeting with management of the factory and residents to discuss the issue.
Loti Sangititi, the Engutoto sub-location leader expressed concern that air pollution had become a serious problem in Njiro as a result of increase in the number of factories.
’’The problem is, however, deep-rooted. Arusha’s town plan is almost non-existent,’’ said Engutoto councillor Kimani A. Mollel.
He added that there was no clear dividing line between residential and industrial areas.
Following the residents’ complaints, a team of council health officers went round the area to establish the extent of the pollution.
The delegation from the council discovered that hygienic conditions within the factory’s premises were wanting.
Toilets were dirty, workers do not wear protective gear and packaging was being done in a filthy environment.
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