Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) is to spend over K400 million on sinking 12 bore-holes in areas which were affected by the pollution of the Kafue river in Chingola last year.
KCM spokesperson Sam Equamo told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka that the boreholes
will be sunk in Kafue, Mushishima and Hippo-pool areas which were the most affected
by the pollution.
Mr. Equamo said KCM’s decision to sink 12 boreholes in the three areas is part of its contribution to the provision of safe and clean drinking water which is one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that Zambia has to achieve by the year 2015.
And Mr. Equamo disclosed that the Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ and KCM have amicably resolved the Kafue river pollution which happened in October last year when a KCM pipe burst spilling its mineral waste into the Kafue river.
He said KCM has since replaced all the pipes in the area with new ones adding that
KCM will be more careful in future to avoid any other accident happening again in
the district.
In October last year, a KCM pipe burst spilling its mineral waste into the Kafue
river, thereby contaminating the river and killing most of aquatic life such as fish in the river.
The development caused a lot of public outcry with the Environmental Council of Zambia threatening court action over the matter.
ZANIS
