Athi River residents urged to help conserve environment

Machakos, Tuesday June 6, 2023

KNA by Anne Kangero

The Machakos County Executive Minister for water, irrigation and Environment Ms Catherine Mutanu has asked residents to take care of their own environment in order to achieve a clean region habitable by all.

Mutanu, who had planted trees at KMC primary school in Athi River sub county, hailed Mavoko residents for their help in cleaning the market and the dirty roads in the area as they commemorated the environmental day.

She said they have started programs in Schools that will help students maintain a clean environment and safer ways of handling plastics.

On his part, the Mavoko Deputy County Commissioner Charles Wambugu implored Athi river residents to take responsibility of their environment because it takes between 20 to 500 years for plastic to decompose.

He noted that there is a high concentration of industries and factories in Athi River which increases the rate of pollution and it is high time for all stakeholders to sit down and find a lasting solution.

Wambugu added there are a variety of industries which are manufacturing all types of products such as cement, plastics, tanks, leather and heavy metals and so without increasing the level of compliance for the industries pollution will always be an issue.

He encouraged them to be realistic and practice smart agriculture by planting maize that takes just 75 days to mature such as kasuku, instead of 5 months because the rains only last for a short while thus having a return on one’s investment.

The county NEMA Director Parnwell Simitu said that this year’s theme being a solution to plastic pollution, they need to eliminate all plastics in the environment.

He noted that the importance of the world Environmental day is to create awareness on how to manage and conserve the environment.

Simitu said that the theme is critical because plastic has a negative impact on the environment, such as blocking of sewer lines, drains it affects fertility of soils when thrown in farms and blocks an animals’ intestines when they eat the waste.

“We need to take personal responsibility and do whatever it takes to ban all plastics and keep them away from farms and residential areas,” said Simitu.

Other sponsors and stakeholders present were the Kenya Forest service, Mabati rolling company, Equity bank, Chicken inn syokimau, Epz mars intimate and Machakos ministry of water and environment officials.

Courtesy ; K. N. A