DRC: Somika responds to the anger of the inhabitants
Downtown Lubumbashi, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, January 13, 2021 (illustrative image).
AFP - SAMIR TOUNSI
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
A week ago on our antennas, the inhabitants of the annex commune in Lubumbashi in the DRC accused the mining company of Katanga, Somika, of environmental pollution.
The populations of the area believe that their health is compromised by the mining activities of this company.
Somika reacts: "The accusations of the population are unfounded because everything is done to significantly reduce the effects of pollution", assure the officials of this mining company.
Publicity
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With our correspondent in Lubumbashi,
Denise Maheho
Fortunat Kande, in charge of public relations for the Somika company, is categorical: the management of contaminated water is rational.
The inhabitants of the annex commune in Lubumbashi do not have to worry about the risk of pollution of the water table.
“
We have a park upstream of our factory more than 2 km away where we push back liquid discharges and solid discharges,
assures Fortunat Kande.
Regarding runoff, there are settling ponds.
We put lime in it before it can come out through a single channel which is well controlled so that these waters cannot have loads, as they say.
"
"
Zero pollution, that does not exist
"
In this district on the outskirts of Lubumbashi, the air is suffocating, residents testify.
As a result, fewer and fewer children go to the Saint Fortunat school located nearly 600 meters from the mine.
“
We test from time to time the air which leaves our company,
justifies Fortunat Kande of Somika.
For my part, I believe that these accusations cannot be blamed on the company.
How can we maintain that there is no pollution when neighborhood children who really cough because the air is suffocating?
“
Zero pollution does not exist,”
replies the public relations officer.
Every business must make daily efforts to keep its environment up to standard.
"
These explanations from Somika do not lower the anger of the inhabitants.
For them, the company should compensate them and be relocated from the residential area.
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To read also: DRC: pollution in the Somika district of Lubumbashi
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DRC: pollution in the Somika district of Lubumbashi