KIKUUBE-Local leaders and residents in Kikuube district days ago accused Hoima Sugar Limited of polluting the environment in the area, particularly community water sources.
The residents accused the sugar company of blocking community access roads in their areas through the improper disposal of waste products such as molasses.
Edward Tumusiime, the chairman Muziranduuru village said residents were struggling to access clean water as most of the water sources in the area have been contaminated allegedly by the residues from the sugar company.
The victims of the pollution are residents from Kigyayo, Kiswaza, and Muziranduuru villages in Kiziramfumbi Sub-county, Kikuube district.
Tumusiime noted Kakindo and Nyabikoko wells where residents have been fetching water are contaminated while access roads are covered by molasses purportedly disposed of improperly by workers of the company.
The residents also allege all trees near the affected water sources have dried up after molasses due to the molasses dumped there.
“All trees near the water sources where Hoima Sugar Limited dumps its molasses have dried up. We are also likely to catch diseases from the contaminated water we use in our homes,” he explained.
The chairman said the stench from the molasses pollutes the air in the village, causing discomfort in the community.
Teddy Kyomugisa, the district councilor for Kiziramfumbi Sub-county said she recently asked the company’s management to stop disposing of their waste in the community.
She noted that improper disposal of molasses and burning of bagasse in areas by the company has become a menace to the communities. Bagasse is a dry pulpy fibrous material that remains after crushing sugarcane or sorghum.
She noted during the burning of bagasse, a huge choking smoke saturates the air that the residents inhale.
She claimed that smoke also causes sores in the eyes, further adding that some people have blamed the persistent cough on the bagasse in the area.
She added: “Though the factory has promoted development in the district, some of our water sources have been destroyed. Our people are developing expiratory diseases due to poor disposal of their wastes. We are requesting the government to come out and tell Hoima Sugar Limited to stop disposing of these wastes in the community.”
The issue came up during a recent dialogue between Hoima Sugar Limited officials, residents, and Kikuube district local government leaders organised by National Association of Professional Environmentalists [NAPE] at Kigyayo IDP camp.
NAPE’s Joan Akiiza confirmed the complaints of the community, saying that they recently carried out an environmental impact assessment, which established that the poor disposal of waste by the company had resulted in water and air pollution.
Richard Basemera, the sugar company’s assistant public relations officer, dismissed the allegations emphasising that the company is conscious of environmental issues.
He noted that they use molasses as fertilizer in their sugarcane plantation, adding molasses sometimes drops on the roads in the processes of its transportation.
“We don’t pour molasses anywhere because we use it to make spirit and wastewater from the spirit is used as manure in our sugarcane plantation. We also burn bagasse from a reasonably good distance away from homes,” he said.
https://thecooperator.news/three-hoima-sugar-ltd-officials-in-trouble-over-assault-of-trader/
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