Ministry of Environment director, Sandeep Singh has issued Ram Sami and Sons (Fiji) Limited a prohibition notice to its Laying Farm in Wainadoi.

This comes after the ministry received complaints from residents in Wainadoi regarding smoke and stench emanating from the farm, while it makes manure.

It’s not the first time Ram Sami and Sons (Fiji) Limited has come under the spotlight for not adhering to the environmental law. In 2020 the company was fined for breaching the Environmental Act of 2005.

A resident had lodged a formal Police complaint to the Wainadoi Police Post against the company on August 4 because she could not stand the smell.

Residents claimed that over the past two-and-half months, it caused some of them to suffer asthma attacks, vomit and cough.

Residents

Susan Shobna said her father, Suren Prasad, 74, had been sickly lately due to the unwarranted smoke and foul smell released from the farm.

Ms Shobna said her father was rushed to the Navua Hospital on Monday because of an asthma attack.

“He has been going in and out of the hospital. This only started two-and-half-months ago when the foul smell and unwarranted smoke came from the Farm,” she said.

“As we are all working, my elderly father would walk from home to the main road to hitch a ride to the hospital. He was perfectly fine before all this happened.”

“The unwarranted smoke and foul smell from the Farm is not only bad for those people living with asthma but for everyone.”

“Lately, my mother-in-law has been vomiting because she cannot stand the smell that’s coming from the Farm,” she said.

Tevita Tabu said they would close their windows and doors as a result but that did not help their plight.

“Sometimes we cannot do our household chores due to the foul smell that comes from the farm. We couldn’t stand it anymore, that’s why we lodged a complaint to the authorities,” Mr Tabu said.

“If there was a dead dog lying around, we could bury it to stop the unwarranted smell.”

“The air freshner could not even neutralise the smell,” the 75-year-old said.

Mother of a four-month-old toddler, Rosinisaroni Lesu – maisainai, said she was concerned for her baby’s health.

“My children have been coughing and sick lately, I have seen a change in their health,” she said.

“My baby girl cries a lot because she cannot stand the smoke,” she said.

Ministry Investigates Outcome

The Ministry of Environment has prohibited Ram Sami and Sons (Fiji) Limited from processing manure. Ms Singh said this happened after the investigative team found that proactive measures weren’t taken while the company was making manure.

“The company accepted the notice and has been working with the department to take corrective measures,” she said.

“The company will submit a report saying how they are going to rectify the breaches. An inspector is reviewing and working with the company.

“If the steps taken to rectify matches the legislative standards, then they can expect the lifting of the notice within the next business day or so.”

Ram Sami and Sons (Fiji) Limited Receives Notice

Ram Sami and Sons (Fiji) Limited operation manager Rajesh Siva has confirmed they have received the prohibition notice from the ministry.

Mr Siva said he could not comment further on the matter because information to the ministry as he had not met with staff members from the farm.

He said they would work with the inspectors to ensure that steps taken to rectify matched the legislative standards.

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