The Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) has asked Ndola Lime and  Chilanga Cement in Ndola to close their kilns by today because they were polluting the city.  
 
Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister, Kabinga Pande, said on Government Forum programme on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) radio programme yesterday the Government would not sit idle and let the environment be polluted especially when the issue of global warming was a growing phenomenon.  
 
Mr Pande said the Government was committed to sustainable development of the environment and relevant legislation had been put in place to ensure that environmental degradation did not go beyond acceptable level.  
 
He said Cabinet would soon be approving a comprehensive national policy, whose objective would be to ensure that developers of any projects complied with environmental requirements.  
 
Mr Pande cited National Milling Corporation (NMC) which he said had done a thorough environment assessment before setting up its silos on Cairo road.  
 
He said NMC took into account issues of traffic congestion by trucks, hence the decision to allow heavy duty vehicles to use the rear entrance.  
 
"There is no single project put to public where all people would agree. It’s a good project. NMC advanced reasons that they have been there for many years. 
 
"It’s not a new company, it has been in existence since 1928 and they had support from the council who gave them the plan. They agreed that they would move all their operations to the rear of their properties and the general public was not against the project," Mr Pande said.  
 
On the Keep Zambia Clean and Health campaign, Mr Pande said his ministry was working with counterparts in other ministries to ensure that the campaign was a success. 
 
He urged Zambians to set up their minds to detest throwing litter anyhow. This, according to Mr Pande, was the worst habit.  
 
He said if Zambia became clean, many tourists would be encouraged to visit.  
 
Government has set tourism among its priority sectors in improving the economy and was working with Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) to promote the country’s tourism potential.  
 
The minister advised Zambians in the tourism sector to take advantage of the Tourism Development Fund now that the 2007 Budget has been approved and would be disbursed.  
 
On tourism, the minister said Government was targeting over a million tourists to visit Zambia as the Visit Zambia Campaign programme gained momentum.