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Momodou
Denmark
11785 Posts |
 Posted - 07 Apr 2010 : 18:22:43
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Government in Violation of Environmental Law - Public Health, Environmental Hazards
By Sanna Camara
Despite enactment and promulgation of regulations to safeguard the environment and health of its citizenry, the government has been found to be in breach of the environmental laws it is sworn to uphold.
The National Environmental Management Act 2000 requires that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is conducted by the National Environment Agency prior to the commencement of such projects, in a bid to preserving the environment and health of the general public.
However, reports gathered by The Daily News has revealed that government’s implementation of some developmental projects in recent years are posing serious environmental hazards, impacting on the livelihood of the poor and destroying fruit trees which serve as sources of livelihood for some peasant farmers.
As a result of several road construction works being undertaken, clouds of dust generated during these times are eventually covering leaves of fruit plants, shrinking their abilities to photosynthesize food for themselves, much more be of high productivity for the farmers. According to one public health officer, when dust gathers on plants, it reduces the [food] transportation capacities of plants, denying them sunlight.
TransGambia Highway through Foni, one would find that entire clusters of fruit-plants along this highway are slowly succumbing to barrenness, and consequent death. The degrading condition of such "economic plants" starts from Kafuta (last village of Kombo East) across the entire length of Foni. Same applies to others between Kiang and Jarra, down to Niamina, Fulladu and southern parts of Upper River Region.
Peasants who spoke to The Daily News expressed utter dissatisfaction and apprehension at the toll that road construction works take on their livelihoods, particularly that it takes a long time before the graveled roads would be covered with tar. It is said to be inflicting "untold suffering" on their communities, in both immediate and long terms. This is so because the Environmental Management Act 2000, which takes into consideration heath and environmental hazards associated with undertaking such projects, are not being adhered to.
As a result of this, a public health official who was contacted by The Daily News explained that communities along such roads under construction would face risks of respiratory and other infections. This is corroborated as a fact when this reporter found illnesses such as cold, cataracts, dry skins, coughs, among others, were prevalent in such communities. The situation is the same for other areas in Lower and Central River Regions. In some places, even farmlands and the forest covers have their share of the problem.
A community leader who spoke to The Daily News in Foni under anonymity said that "even corrugated roofs of poor farmers are affected". He said corrosion of corrugated iron roofs partly as a result of mixture of salt water and dust on roofs, has become a prevalent problem for the community. He said that dew that gathers on rooftops causes corrosion to corrugated iron sheets (which are usually 14millimeters in thickness), resulting in perforations.
"Some of these houses have to change these sheets if they want to continue living in their houses during the [coming] rainy seasons," said the officer, noting that wind-blown dust is also a contributing factor to the spread of pathogens in their communities. "All our economical plants are dying as a result of dust covering leaves of our [fruit] plants," he said.
Meanwhile, some residents in Serekunda, particularly along the Westfield – Sukuta road under construction are faced with similar fate. According to one Mr. Touray of London Corner, the duration of road constructions also affects inhabitants’ health due to what he attributes to the "continuous inhaling of dust, giving rise to coughs, cold, and other airborne diseases.
Around the Serekunda Market, even businesses are suffering. "We are now getting used to this environment in which we come to work; open our shops and before the end of the day, all our goods are covered with red dust; our eyes, ears, noses, even the clothes we wear, are not spared," said Mr. Ebou Faye, a businessman at the Serekunda market.
He added that this situation forces them to "sell at a loss in some instances as goods covered in dust will automatically lose their value. "Our very health conditions are at stake here… many of us having contracted strange respiratory and sight infections," he said.
Meanwhile, efforts made to solicit the reaction of the National Environment Authority proved futile. However, insiders hinted to The Daily News that hardly do government undertakes this Environmental Impact Assessment prior to start of some projects.
Source: Dailynews
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