Sanyang environmentalists oppose resumption of fish mill factory

By Tabora Bojang The Nessim fish mill factory, which was temporarily closed down by the government in June for operating without a treatment plant, are set to resume operations after fulfilling requirements. This was revealed during a meeting between the National Environment Agency NEA, Sanyang environmentalists, Alkalo, VDC and other stakeholders. During the meeting, the NEA informed the audience that the factory has now met requirements to operate and will soon re-commence work under a treatment plant and recommends the erection of a disposal pipe 300 metres into the Atlantic Ocean. The Agency assured the villagers that the stench and foul odour they previously endured would be minimised under the new requirement. In response, Sanyang environmentalists expressed outrage. They complained that the disposal of a waste pipe into the sea will further escalate damages they have long cried against. The company started work on its disposal pipe on Monday while in a counter move hundreds of young people gathered at the Sanyang beach coastline to fill up a hole dug by the company to discharge its sewage through a pipe into the sea. According to Pa Ousman Sanyang, the VDC is not aware of the latest developments because “there is no mou between the factory and the community. “We want to tell the government to cancel the deal as the factory has not brought any benefits to us as a community and instead it poses threats to our marine life, environment and health and sources of income,” he said. MB Njie, an environmental activist said they are exploring all avenues to influence the decision through legal means. “We have to go about it within the legal framework and avoid all types of violence.” The National Assembly Select Committee on environment ordered the closure of the factory in June after its investigations confirmed they were operating without a waste treatment plant and discharging waste]]>