By ROGERS KALERO
More than 40 shops in Buyantanshi township of Chingola have been closed down for failing to subscribe to the franchise company contracted by the Council to carry out garbage collection, Council Public Relations Officer Believe Chisanga has said.
Ms Chisanga said the council has closed down more than 40 shops in Buyantashi Township for failing to subscribe to the franchise company, Napotech contracted by the local authority to carry out garbage collection.
Ms Chisanga said the operation to close down the shops was conducted on Tuesday by the Department of Public Health working in collaboration with the Council Police Officers.
“I can confirm that we had an operation on Tuesday where 40 shops were closed down for failing to subscribe to the franchise company contracted by the local authority to carry out garbage collection.
“The shop owners had not subscribed to Nepotech, a company engaged by the council to collect waste in the areas. So the conduct of the shop owners forced the local authority on Tuesday to swing into action and closed their shops,’’ Ms Chisanga said.
Ms Chisanga said failure to subscribe was making it difficult for the local authority to manage solid waste, adding that it had been observed that the affected shop owners had been dumping garbage indiscriminately contrary to the solid waste regulation and management act.
“It had been observed that the affected shop owners had been dumping garbage indiscriminately contrary to the solid waste regulation and management act. The local authority has since warned business owners who had not yet subscribed to their franchise companies to do so to avoid being prosecuted.
“We also wish to appeal to members of the public to report any people seen dumping garbage indiscriminately, let’s be each other’s brother’s keeper as the council officers can’t be everywhere,” she said.