[La Tour Koenig/Residence Coquillage - CMT - Pollution]

Debate No. 06 of 10.04.07
Statements by Ministers
La Tour Koenig/Residence Coquillage - CMT -Pollution

The Minister of Environment and National Development Unit (Mr A. Bachoo): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am going to make a brief statement on issues raised by hon. J. C. Barbier regarding pollution caused by La Compagnie Mauricienne de Textile at La Tour Koenig.

I wish to inform the hon. Member and the House that regular monitoring has been carried out by my Ministry as stated in my reply to PQ No. B/535 on 22 November, 2005 and the situation was under control until the passage of cyclone Gamede when the Force Vives complained about black smoke and overflow of waste water including rainwater on the public road. Following site visits on the 20 and 27 February and a meeting held on 15 March 2007 with the Force Vives of the locality and Management of CMT, the immediate environmental concerns have been addressed and the situation is under control and no complaints have been received since 15 March.

As far as overflow of wastewater is concerned, CMT has liaised with –

(i) the Municipality of Port Louis to have a municipal storm water drain in Avenue des Coquillages along CMT boundaries, and

(ii) the Wastewater Management Authority to discharge its effluent into a separate sewer network to avoid overflow of the existing network servicing the residential settlement.

Mr Speaker, Sir, as regards the collection and disposal of used oil by Caltex Ltd., an inquiry is ongoing and the matter has been referred to the Ministry of Local Government which is the agency enforcing the Environment Protection (collection, storage, treatment, use and disposal of waste oil) Regulations 2006. Also, so far there is no evidence that used oil is being mixed with HFO.

Mr Speaker, Sir, it is to be noted that there are a number of hotspots, including that at La Tour Koenig where there is no buffer between the residential and the industrial zone. As industries are normally associated with a certain degree of pollution, the absence of a buffer further aggravates the situation. My Ministry will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that pollution, if any, is minimized.

Keywords: hotspots, CMT, monitoring, air quality, Environment Protection Act 2002, air quality, ambient air standards, air pollutants, guidelines, standards, regulations, pollution, industrial activities, industrial zone, residential zone, buffer, dioxins, furans, enforcement, enforcing agency, smoke, pollutant discharge, surface run-off, water quality, sources of pollution, overflow, waste water, Wastewater Management Authority, water drain, sewer network, used oil,