Bryden Country School Wins High Court Order To Stop Construction Of Cement Factory
Bryden Country School, located in Chegutu, Mashonaland West Province, has secured a High Court interim order to stop the construction of a cement manufacturing plant by Shuntai Investments Private Limited.
The proposed plant, which is expected to have an annual production capacity of 800,000 tonnes and create 800 jobs, is being built near the school premises.
The school claims it was excluded from key consultations, especially the ongoing environmental impact assessment.
Its concerns include potential dust and air pollution, noise, water contamination, and increased traffic due to the plant’s close proximity to the campus.
Justice Regis Dembure ordered Shuntai and its affiliates to suspend all activities related to the cement factory, brick moulding plant, and quarry mining project at Plot 8, Eastbourne, in Chegutu.
The project had proceeded without the necessary Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Certificate, development permits, and land tenure documents, violating a previous penalty issued by the Environmental Management Agency for non-compliance.
The private school is represented by Joshua George Manyumbu and Andrea Dracos of Gollop & Blank, Bryden School.
The lawyers argued that the plant’s operations could cause significant harm, such as damaging buildings and exposing students and staff to harmful pollutants like cement dust, benzene, and emissions from coal-burning.
Shuntai did not attend the court hearing to contest the matter.
More: The Herald
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