By Rabiu Sani-Ali
The Kano State Environmental Mobile Court on Saturday, ordered two factories to pay N1 million fine for violation of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in the state.
The affected factories are GP Tank and JP Company.
Chief Magistrate, Auwal Yusuf-Suleiman, gave the order during an inspection exercise at the Sharada Industrial Area in Kano metropolis.
Yusuf-Suleiman said the factories were found guilty of operating within the stipulated of hours 7am to 10am of the sanitation exercise contrary to sections 61 and 104 of the National Environmental Laws.
He, therefore, ordered each of the factories to pay N500,000 fine.
Dr Kabiru Ibrahim-Getso, the State Commissioner for Environment, while reacting to the fine said the affected companies were not among those exempted from participating in the exercise.
He said that some industries were exempted from participating in the exercise in view of the nature of their operations.
The commissioner said that some security personnel were engaged to enforce compliance with the exercise.
While commending the agencies for their support, Ibrahim-Getso also commended residents of the state for participation in the exercise.
The mobile courts also convicted motorists and a horse rider for flaunting the environmental laws.
Some of the areas visited for inspection in the exercise include Bata, Yankura, Sabon Gari, Dakata, Yankaba, Kings Garden, Fagge, Abattoire, IBB, and Obasanjo Roads, among others.
NAN
