Miners and quarry operators in Kanyakwar and Kajulu in Kisumu East subcounty have been ordered to cease operations to avoid further degradation and loss of lives.
The entities have been given a seven-day closure notice by the Kisumu city and the National Environmental Management Authority.
The statutory public notice dated September 30 is signed by the city manager Abala Wanga.
Wanga said on September 28, the city and Nema held a consultation meeting on the rise of illegal quarry activities.
He said such activities have been great avenues of exploitations of natural non-renewable resources and are sources of pollution.
The official said the activities also contribute to a negative social economic impact and quarry accidents and death.
"The city manager and Nema hereby issues notice to all miners and quarry operators to cease operation in the said areas within seven days from the date hereto," Wanga's letter read.
The official said in the event of non compliance, the city of Kisumu shall itself move in and apprehend such individuals and impound their equipment at the owner's risk.
This comes even as on September 23, 2020 a miscellaneous criminal application E005/2022 was filed by Martha Agutu.
The court ordered that any illegal excavation and quarry activities at East Kajulu in Kisumu East subcounty and Kanyakwar be halted until the matter is heard and determined.
In October 2014, the Kisumu government subcommittee on natural resources engaged quarry owners on the environmental plans to restore the already exhausted quarry sites.
The abandoned quarries had been sited as a risk to the community causing deaths, inhabiting mosquitoes and contributing to soil erosion around the sites of harvest.
Its against this backdrop that the committee sought to engage the quarry owners on the restoration plans.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
