Monrovia – Residents of Disco Hill Community in District #1, Margibi County, said they reject the dumping of wastes, which they think is a concentrated chlorine by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL).
Report by Henry Karmo, [email protected]
According to the district’s Representative, Mr. Tibelrosa Tarponweh, a 20-foot container allegedly containing concentrated chlorine had been transported to the Disco Hill Community, on Wednesday, November 14. According to him, it was reportedly escorted by workers of EPA and NPHIL, under the cover of darkness.
The Margibi District #1 lawmaker further stated that upon receiving tipoff, he advised members of the disposal team to embark on a vigorous awareness and sensitization campaign to residents of the community, informing them of the danger the disposal of the container’s content would have on the residents; something he alleged authorities of the EPA, NPHIL and LNP did not do.
“Citizens of the Disco Hill Community, especially youth and elders among others, strongly rejected the team to dispose the container in the area over the weekend. It would create serious health hazard that could have far reaching consequences on the citizens,” Tarponweh added.
‘Armed Police’
The district #1 Margibi County lawmaker disclosed that when the residents refused for the container to empty its content, those behind the container called in a police reinforcement to come and intimidate the residents.
Rep. Tarponweh expressed concern about what he termed the arbitrary used of armed police officers in situation that requires only information dissemination and awareness.
He further indicated in a release that because of the heightened suspicions in the way the whole situation was carried out, there is no way that residents of Disco Hill can accept such hazardous waste to be dumped in their community.
He disclosed that the citizens are calling on authorities of the EPA, NPHIL to find alternative sites for the disposal of the chemical because they have resolved that they would reject any forceful disposal of the alleged highly concentrated chlorine in their surrounding.