– EPA urges operators

THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has warned operators of hotels, livestock rearing facilities, sand mines and other businesses to buckle down and be compliant or get closed down.

According to the EPA in a notice, which was published in the Sunday Stabroek, 18 operations could be closed down if they do not follow the requirements of the agency.
The EPA said it will be moving to close the operations for failure to adhere to the agency’s enforcement notices or uplift finalised environmental authorisations.

Most of the businesses, which were warned, are operating with an expired environmental permit, without a permit and some failed to uplift their permit or authorisation.
According to the EPA, Ashmins Fun Park; Sand and Loan Mine of Soesdyke; and Chatarpaul and Omadatt Lall’s Garment Factory of Friendship also failed to uplift their environmental authorisation.

Companies with expired permits are B Tularam Rice Mill of Leguan; Harinaraine and Sons Rice Milling Complex of Number 67 Village Corentyne; the Urbayne Oasis Hotel of Queenstown, Essequibo; Adam’s Apartment of Norton Street; and Wilderness Lodge of Bartica.

Other companies with expired permits are Blackman and Sons Farm, which operates a swine rearing facility at Garden of Eden; Moti’s Poultry of Garden of Eden; Modern Poultry Farm of Broomfield Village, Corentyne; Good Will Business enterprises; Connection International Sand Mining of Madewini; and Mahendra Narine Welding/ Fabrication Workshop of Airy Hall, Essequibo Coast.

Persons and entities that failed to uplift environmental authorisations are Shivnarine Singh of Campbellville, and Fertilizer and Storage Blending of Providence.
Meanwhile, Little Rock Hotel of New Amsterdam and Azad Taki Gas Station of Hogsty Village of Corentyne are operating without an environmental permit.
The EPA notice said that the developers have until August 9, 2019 to uplift or renew their environmental permits.

It also reminded permit holders that it is illegal under the EPA Act and the Environmental Protection regulations to operate, construct and or conduct developmental activities without a valid environmental permit or authorisation.