Families in Chikwawa District whose crops were destroyed by an effluent spillage from PressCane Limited’s effluent ponds are set to receive compensation after the company handed over K895 million to the district council for distribution to affected households.
On Monday, PressCane Limited handed over the compensation cheque to Chikwawa District Council for distribution to affected households, following directives issued by the Malawi Environmental Protection Authority and the National Water Resources Authority after months of environmental assessments and enforcement actions.
The spillage affected farmland at a critical time, as crops were nearing harvest, leaving many households to count on huge losses and uncertainty over their livelihoods.
Speaking after the cheque handover ceremony, PressCane Chief Executive Officer Bryson Mkhomaanthu said the compensation signifies the company’s commitment to complying with environmental regulations and addressing the impact caused by the incident.
“This demonstrates our commitment and that we have fully addressed the requirements issued by MEPA after the unfortunate incident,” said Mkhomaanthu.
He added that the company has since implemented several corrective measures under the compliance order, including the rehabilitation and strengthening of effluent ponds, increasing freeboard capacity, the installation of water monitoring wells, and the commissioning of selected secondary ponds.
Chikwawa District Commissioner Frank Mkandawire, who received the cheque on behalf of the affected families, described the development as a major milestone for communities that have waited months for assistance.
“We are very happy that today we are bringing closure to an issue that has been ongoing for some time here in Chikwawa. The spillage happened at a critical time when crops were about to ripen, and it significantly affected households,” he said.
Mkandawire said the compensation will help affected families recover from the losses and prepare for the next agricultural season.
