While addressing a press conference at the Uganda Media Centre yesterday, the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) Executive Director, Mr Barirega Akankwasa, said the Authority will work with the traffic police to ensure that those driving heed to the environmental regulations.
With effect from April 1, motorists will be arrested and expressly fined Shs6m when caught driving a car without a dustbin in it.
The express penalty scheme introduced by Nema is intended to deter non-compliance to environment laws and to prevent environment degradation.
“We shall be working with the traffic police. Besides checking whether you have a driving permit and other requirements when they stop you, the officers will check to ensure you have a dustbin in your car. If you don’t have, you will be expressly fined Shs6m or criminally prosecuted,” Mr Akankwasa said.
Likewise, throwing out rubbish from your car will attract a similar punishment.
Other additional punitive measures that Nema announced include leaving rubbish outside residential premises and littering from commercial buildings that will also attract the same fine .
“The National Environment Management Authority hereby informs the general public that this will be effected from April 1. We shall, in addition to the existing criminal prosecution measure, commence an administrative penalty scheme for environment breaches in line with section 174 of the National Environment Act, No.5 of 2019,” the Nema statement read in part.
Under the express penalty scheme, the offenders will be required to pay a fine within the prescribed time and in a specific bank account. The notice will specify the date and nature of the alleged contravention , a summary of the facts that Nema or authorised officer alleges and the amount to be paid.
Assessment (ESIA) and Environment Risk Assessment (ERA) for projects that require such assessment, will attract a fine, not exceeding Shs1b for individuals or 15 years in prison or both, and Shs6b for cooperate bodies.
In addition, failure to conduct an annual environmental audit, will attract a penalty of up to Shs1b or imprisonment not less than 15 years or both.
Further, failure to display the complete certificate of approval of Environmental and Social Impact Assessment will attract up to Shs1b fine for an individual and up to Shs6b for a corporate entity.
In the area of wetlands, river banks and lakeshores, once found destroying, damaging or disturbing a wetland in a manner that has or is likely to have an adverse effects on any plant or an animal, will attract a fine of up to Shs3m.
The new measures will be tightened on those importing, exporting and manufacturing plastic carrier bags or plastic products made out of polymers of ethane (Polythene) and propylene that are below 30 microns. Those who will be found liable will be fined Shs100m.
Nema has also warned that those dealing in activities that result in aggravated pollution or polluting the environment contrary to the conditions contained in the Pollution Control Licence or permit, discharge or emissions of pollutants into the environment contrary to approved standards, will be fined Shs6b.
Emitting noise in excess of the permissible noise level and failing to immediately reduce noise to a permissible noise level when required to do so attracts a fine of up to Shs10m upon conviction.
