By EUGENE ADIONG
BACOLOD City — Residents of Manapla town were complaining about the odor emitted by the wastewater of the Victorias Milling Company’s distillery plant in Brgy. Purisima.
A foul smell emanates from the plant, especially when it rains, they claimed, adding that some of them have been sick because of the pungent odor.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) will investigate the matter.
Vicente Losbañes, head of EMB-Negros Occidental, said he will be sending a team to conduct an on-site inspection.
Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) member Patrick Lacson assured that the SP will take action, but the residents have to file a formal complaint first so that local lawmakers could properly address the problem.
“We welcome such industries for as long as they are not detrimental to the health of residents in their area of operation, as well as to the environment,” the environment committee chair said.
Representatives of the milling company said they are addressing the problem, which started when their electricity supply and waste treatment facility were affected by super typhoon “Yolanda.”
Losbañes said the EMB will come up with recommendations on how to minimize the odor based on the report of its investigating team.
“We will also check if the (distillery) plant violated the conditions stated in the environmental compliance certificate issued to it,” he said.
Residents around the Victorias Milling Company’s sugar mill in Victorias City were also complaining about a foul odor./PN
