THE Ndola City Council has given a seven-day ultimatum to business houses operating in substandard and dirty surroundings to clean up or risk having their trading licences withdrawn.

Council public relations officer Louise Thole said business houses found trading in dirty and substandard surroundings would have their licences withdrawn and premises closed.

Ms Thole said a team of council personnel from the building and health departments was going round the city carrying out inspections on the state of buildings and surroundings.

The inspectors were on the lookout for cracked walls, clogged drainages, weed infested gutters, inadequate ventilation, dirty walls, peeled-off paint and defective lavatories.

"Business houses are advised to work on the above mentioned defects within seven days of receiving the notice and ensure that works are inspected and certified by council building inspectors," she said.

The exercise which started from the central business district was expected to extend to the townships where most traders, especially in markets traded in squalor conditions.

Earlier this year, the council received KR2.2 million from the

Government for clearance of the drainage system and street lighting in the city.

The council also received KR69 million from the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) to rehabilitate 20.9kilometres of the road network.

The roads to be covered under the project include Mwasumina, Chikola Crescent, Ndeke North Boundary, Dola Hill, Chilubi, Kaloko, Nyerere, Kanu, Chilyamitondo, Luapula.

The rest are Ndibu, Mitengo, Mwata Kazembe, Fitente, Chinika and Shinde.