An epidemic outbreak is looming at the Fisheries Department training centre in Sinazongwe where staff and their families have lived without piped water for a month now.
The development is due to the disconnection of electricity supply to the institution by ZESCO thereby paralyzing the borehole water pumping system.
Department staff and their families are now fetching water from the nearby crocodile infested Lake Kariba.
Officials at the fisheries department told ZANIS in Sinazongwe that they and their families have been without piped water for nearly a month now after ZESCO cut off power supply due to nonpayment of outstanding electricity bills.
The officials expressed fears of possible death of their family members as they fetched water from Lake Kariba where marauding crocodiles have been claiming human life in the area.
They also said they were worried of an imminent outbreak of a waterborne disease because their families were consuming untreated water from the lake.
According to the officials, they are presently unable to settle the outstanding ZESCO bills because of lack of funding.
They said funding to the department has been extremely poor this year thereby making it difficult for the training institution to meet its obligations with service providers.
They have appealed to Livestock and Fisheries minister Dr Bradford Machila to come to the rescue of the department by ensuring that funding is urgently released to the department to facilitate clearance of outstanding electricity bills with ZESCO.
ZANIS
Government would rather put money in the ground with Chiluba than help masses of Zambians who need help most.
A dead ex plundering President has no use. Living, working Zambians have use and keeping them from productivity for 7 days to mourn a dead man is the shame of a nation.
Don’t worry its the right time to send you geysers.
These chaps should learn to pay bills.Be responsible.It costs money to produce electricity.