EPA secured a court order in relation to the Autobody Workshop

Dear Editor,

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as mandated by the Environmental Protection Act, 1996, has a responsibility to prevent or control environmental pollution and has been executing this function assiduously since its establishment in 1996, through authorization, education and awareness, compliance and enforcement interventions.

The letter captioned ‘Fumes, noise from auto repair shop affecting schoolchildren and neighbours’ published in your newspaper on January 20 refers. The EPA was made aware of the nuisance caused by the autobody workshop located at 118, Prospect, East Bank Demerara in 2008. In an effort to resolve the matter, several recommendations to mitigate noise and fumes from the autobody workshop were made to the proprietor by the EPA. Continuous non-compliance of the EPA’s recommendations by the proprietor resulted in the issuance of a prohibition notice on November 29, 2013, instructing the cessation of the operation until recommended measures were implemented. Subsequent non-compliance with the prohibition notice resulted in the EPA proceeding with legal action on April 1, 2014. These efforts were made not only for the benefit of the environment but society as a whole. On January 13, 2015, the case was awarded in the EPA’s favour and as such, any operation by the proprietor or his agents will be in contempt of court.

The agency continues to monitor the location to ensure compliance with the court order. The EPA is committed to working in partnership with stakeholders country-wide to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all Guyanese. Further, the EPA has well-developed procedures and processes which it implements to enforce the Environmental Protection Act (1996), and associated regulations and standards. These instruments enable the assessment, prevention and control of pollution.Should you have any questions, or need any clarifications, please feel free to contact our office.

 

Yours faithfully,
Indarjit Ramdass
Executive Director