Bose Vavataga 
Source: FLP / Facebook
The Fiji Sugar Corporation has strongly rejected claims by National Farmers Union General Secretary Mahendra Pal Chaudhry that toxic, unprocessed cane juice was released into the Ba River after last month’s fire at the Rarawai Mill.
FSC said internal tests carried out after a small number of dead fish were seen along the riverbank found no signs of contamination, with all results within environmental limits.
The company stated that all materials from the mill’s process house were safely contained in storage tanks after the 17 September fire and later handled according to environmental standards.
It said part of the processed juice was transferred to the Lautoka Mill for further processing, while the rest was treated through the factory’s effluent ponds under government-approved procedures.
Any minor overflow caused by frothing in the tanks was contained within the mill and directed to pollution ponds for treatment, not into the river.
FSC added that the Rarawai Mill has three treatment ponds equipped with aerators to ensure proper breakdown of liquid waste, while solid waste such as ash and mill mud is handled by licensed contractors.
The company said it remains committed to protecting nearby communities and river ecosystems and continues to monitor water quality, assuring the public that no untreated material was discharged into the Ba River.
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