NO address pollution and safeguard the environment, the Ogun State government has ordered over 15 industries to install  effluent treatment plants (ETPs) for their waste water.

Its Commissioner for Environment, Bolaji Oyeleye, gave the order in Abeokuta, the state capital during the World Water Day.

He said the government had become more aggressive in enforcing the obligatory duty of industrial facilities to install ETPs to protect the state’s ground and surface water bodies.

Oyeleye said the release of toxic substances from industries into the environment had long-term effects that could be detrimental to the health of the people. He  added that the state’s status as an industrial hub  mandated the ministry to be alive to its core responsibility of monitoring effluent discharges of industries.

“Within the last three years, more than 15 industries had been compelled to put in place ETP while several others have had to either expand the capacity of existing ones or reactivate them. At present, several others are on the verge of full compliance with this requirement,” he said.

Oyeleye noted that the unregulated exploitation of groundwater  had serious consequences on the environment, saying it had become imperative for the state government to introduce water abstraction regulations for the benefit of the future generations.

“Groundwater is something that we need all over the world. Humans and animals need water in order to survive as our bodies could not function without it. However, the uncontrolled and unregulated use of groundwater is replete with serious consequences. This becomes imperative for us to safeguard ourselves and children for these consequences,” he said.

The post Ogun orders over 15 firms to instal ETPs appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.