Group kicks against rock blasting in residential areas

A non-governmental, non-profit organization Urban-Rural Environmental Defenders (U-RED) has raised the alarm over “continued indiscriminate and unsafe blasting of rocks at residential areas across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and environs.

 

Speaking at a sensitization workshop organized for village heads, community leaders and other stakeholders on Thursday at Bwari, Abuja, the Director U-RED, Gods’power Martins lamented that deposit of hills/rocks in the communities are supposed to be a blessing in various ways to the communities.

 

But he regretted that rocks were being blasted everyday few meters to the communities thereby exposing the communities to all manner of socio-health risks, death and environmental degradation.

 

Martins described the situation as worrisome, warning on the “dire consequences of this unwholesome blasting of rocks and quarry activities with crude technologies.”

 

This, U-RED cautioned could lead to deafening sounds, vibrations leading to cracks and collapse of buildings as well as death from flying rocks and pollution of the environment among others.

 

“While we are not against exploitation of natural resources, destroying the environment and host communities should not be the cost of doing so.

 

“The questions before of us today are: What do we think will happen to the communities and its environment if this harmful blasting of rocks and unsafe quarry activities continue unabated? When the hazardous blasting of rocks and unhealthy quarrying activities stop, who restores or remedies the environment, the craters, security pits, cracks and compacted soil.

 

“Should we allow the environmental hazards to continue or join hands to legitimately correct the worrisome activity? These are the questions begging for answers,” he said.

 

The sensitization programme was organized on the premise that local communities and individuals have the right to a clean and healthy environment, to livelihood, right of nature, right to participate in decision making on all matters that affect the community and environment in line with “Environmental Considerations and Rights of Host Communities” of The Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007, Chapter 4.

 

Similarly, he called on government to ensure quarries are approved at least 50 kilometers away from residents, use of clean energy, formulate stringent mining laws and slam heavy fine on defaulters.

 

The Community chiefs and leaders greatly appreciated U-RED and agreed that the right thing should be done, that a cleaner way of blasting should be employed.

 

In his remarks, Director Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) Nnimmo Bassey decried frequent rock blasting with explosives which according to him leads to destruction of building, infrastructure, and environmental pollution.