Residents of Vilvoorden and neighbouring Fairfield on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two, say they are finally seeing some hope after years of enduring heavy dust and smoke pollution from a rice mill operating in their community.
Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Kemraj Parsaram, confirmed on Monday that the agency has been actively addressing the issue and that the matter is now before the court.
“We’ve been dealing with it, and it is in court. Earlier this month, the court issued an order giving the rice mill until December to comply with the directions given by the EPA,” Parsaram told News Room.
Among the immediate directives issued by the EPA is the removal of large heaps of paddy husk stored on the mill’s compound—one of which is reportedly on fire, causing thick plumes of smoke to affect nearby residents.
The order was clear: remove the paddy heap immediately, control the fire, and ensure no further burning takes place. There are also fresh, additional instructions to take away the remaining piles, Parsaram explained.
He noted that, over the past few months, the EPA has been working with the mill owner to install a water system while retrofitting sections of the facility to reduce dust emissions. Parts have been imported to improve dust control, he said.
“In the short term, while the retrofitting is ongoing, the mill is required to remove the old paddy husks that are burning and ensure that any fresh husk generated is immediately taken away,” Parsaram added.
In the past, frustrated residents staged picketing exercises, insisting that the mill has continued operations in defiance of previous EPA orders. They argue that the dust and smoke have made living conditions unbearable, coating their homes and crops with soot and affecting their health.
The EPA has reiterated that no burning of rice by-products should take place and that the mill must fully comply with environmental standards by the court’s December deadline.
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