Train Fills With Smoke

A train that was going from Belfast Central Station to Jordanstown had to be evacuated yesterday when passengers reported that smoke was gathering in the carriage. The driver stopped the train and the passengers were taken off as a precaution. Later, the NI Fire and Rescue Service said that a piece of machinery overheating was to blame.

Internment Marked By Shots

Shots have been fired and petrol bombs thrown at police in west Belfast during a bonfire marking the 40th anniversary of internment overnight. Large crowds gathered at the blaze at Divis flats in the west of city, and there were reports of gunfire shortly after midnight on Tuesday. The Westlink and surrounding roads were closed for a number of hours as some of those crowds formed barricades.

Double Polluter Fined

A Co Armagh business was fined a total of £2,250 plus £28 court costs at Craigavon Magistrates' Court this week for pollution offences. Central Chemical Supplies Ltd, of Hall Road, Donacloney, was fined for twice making a polluting discharge to a waterway and for contravening the requirements of a prevention notice. On 28 July 2009, officers from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) served a Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 Article 8 Prevention Notice on the owner of the company, Desmond Savage. This notice required the company to meet a number of conditions within a set time frame and was served in response to previous pollution problems at the company's site. On 27 August 2010, inspectors acting on behalf of the Department visited the site to assess compliance with the notice. It was observed that there were discharges from the outlet chambers at both the upper and lower effluent holding tanks. Both these chambers had previously been proven to discharge to the waterway adjacent to the site. The Inspectors returned to the site for a further inspection and it was observed that, although the lower effluent holding tank had been emptied, a discharge from the outlet chamber of the upper effluent holding tank was still occurring. Samples taken on 27 August and 27 September 2010 confirmed that the discharge contained poisonous, noxious or polluting matter, which would have been potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving waterway.

Southern College Chairman

The Department for Employment and Learning has announced the appointment of Andrew Saunders as Chair of the Governing Body of Southern Regional College. The Employment and Learning Minister, Dr Stephen Farry, said: "A well qualified and committed Governing Body is fundamental in making a significant contribution to the strategic management of the college and, in doing so, to help raise quality and standards across the whole sector," noting that the Further Education College's Governing Body is responsible for securing the efficient and effective management of the College, agreeing and monitoring its strategic direction, appointing its senior staff and ensuring that the College acts as a responsible employer. The post of Chair is not remunerated.

Environmental Focus

The Stormont Environment Minister Alex Attwood has said that the concept of an independent environment agency was back on the reform agenda. The Minister wants to get views of key stakeholders. While this is not formal consultation, he is 'testing the water' before progressing the matter further. He has thus issued a discussion document entitled Environmental Governance in Northern Ireland, for feedback. "In the three years since the idea of an independent agency was raised, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency has established a fine reputation for sensitive management of the environment. However the time is now right to revisit this issue, and I am calling on key interests to let me have their views on options for a new independent Environment Agency set out in the document I am issuing," he said.

(BMcC/GK)