[Fuel
S.E- Asphalt Plant- EIA] [Du
Pont - telecommunication Antenna][Environment
Protection Fee - revenue Collected] [Conferences
& workshops] [Oil
(used) - Collection & Disposal] [Flic
En Flac - Noise Pollution][Environment
Protection Fee] [La
Gaulette - Corniche Bay Gulf - IRS Project][Naiade
Hotel - Environmental Clearance] [Plaine
Verte, Roche Bois, Camp yoloff - Abandoned Vehicles] [Ex-Queen
victoria - Odour Nuisance][Pointe
Aux Caves - Coal Fired Power Plant][Reco-Map
- Project] [Cite
Roche Bois - Ethanol Refinery Project] [le
Morne - Jetty]
Debate
No. 4 of 15.04.08
(No. B/264) Mr S. Soodhun (Fifth Member for La Caverne
and Phoenix) asked the Minister of Environment and National
Development Unit whether, in regard to an asphalt plant,
installed by the firm Best Luck on a plot of land owned by
FUEL Sugar Estate, he will state if an Environment Impact
Assessment has been carried out and, if not, the reasons
therefore.
Reply: I
would like to thank the hon. Member for having drawn my
attention on this issue.
My Ministry is investigating into the matter with a
view to taking appropriate measures.
Keywords: EIA
Debate
No. 4 of 15.04.08
(No. B/265) Mr S. Naidu (Third Member for Beau Bassin and
Petite Rivière) asked the Minister of Environment and
National Development Unit whether he will state if, on or
about 19 March 2008, he has received a letter from the
inhabitants of the region of Dupont street, Beau Bassin, in
relation to the effects on their health and their television
sets of a telecommunication antenna which was recently
installed in the region thereof and, if so, the remedial
actions he proposes to take, if any.
Reply: My
Ministry has received a letter to that effect.
The letter was also addressed to other relevant
authorities such as the information & Communication
Technologies Authority (ICTA), Ministry of Health &
Quality of Life and the Municipality of Beau Bassin/Rose Hill.
A letter has been issued to the Ministry of Health &
Quality of Life, the Municipality of Beau Bassin/Rose Hill and
ICTA to look into the matter and take remedial measures deemed
necessary.
I am also informed that the Municipality of Beau Bassin/Rose
Hill has entered a court case against Emtel Ltd for carrying
out a development in a planning area without a Building and
Land Use permit. The
case will be coming for trial on 18 June 2008.
Keywords: health, building land permit
Debate No. 05 of 29.04.2008
(No. B/344) Mr M. Dowarkasing (Third Member for Curepipe
and Midlands) asked the Minister of Environment and National
Development Unit whether, in regard to the environment
protection fee, he will state the amount of revenue collected
for each of the last three financial years, giving details
thereof.
Mr Bachoo: Mr Speaker, Sir, the information is being
tabled.
I would also like to inform the hon. Member that the
Mauritius Revenue Authority is responsible for the collection
of the fee as from September 2007.
Mr Dowarkasing: Mr Speaker, Sir, I have requested the
amount of revenue collected and the hon. Minister has not
given any figures. May I know from the hon. Minister whether
he is satisfied that all the hotels and boarding houses are
paying this environment protection fee?
Mr Bachoo: I
do not have the information with me because the question was
very straightforward and I have given it in the answer.
Keywords: EPF, MRA
Debate
No. 05 of 29.04.2008
(No. B/342) Mr M. Dowarkasing (Third Member for Curepipe
and Midlands) asked the Minister of Environment and National
Development Unit whether, in regard to the conferences and
workshops on environmental issues attended to by the officials
of his Ministry during the last five years, he will state –
(a)
the number of officials, in each case, on a yearly basis,
together with full details thereof, including the total cost
incurred in terms of airfares, accommodation and per diem
allowances, and
(b)
the follow-up actions initiated.
Mr Bachoo: Mr
Speaker, Sir, the information is being compiled.
Mr Dowarkasing: Mr
Speaker, Sir, may I know from the hon. Minister if he can give
a timeframe as to when the compilation will be completed and
the relevant information tabled?
Mr Bachoo: Mr
Speaker, Sir, within a fortnight.
Mr Dowarkasing: Mr
Speaker, Sir, can the hon. Minister confirm to the House
whether certain members of his staff spent an average of more
than 50% of the number of working days abroad than in the
country?
Mr Bachoo: Mr
Speaker, Sir, the question which has been asked relates to the
past five years. It
is difficult for me to come on the spot with an answer and it
is very difficult also for me to confirm whether my top
officers have spent more than 50% of their time abroad.
Mr Varma: Mr
Speaker, Sir, can the hon. Minister inform the House who are
the officers of his Ministry who will be attending the
conference on Waste Management from 11 to 15 May this year in
Edmonton, Canada and the
conference on Coastal Management from 19 to 21 May?
Mr Speaker: I
am sorry. The
question relates to the last five years, not to the coming
events. If the
hon. Member wants an answer, he can come with a substantive
question.
Mr Dowarkasing: Mr
Speaker, Sir, concerning part (b) of my question, following
all these conferences on very critical issues, I want to know
from the hon. Minister what are the different committees that
have been set up. For example, I take the case of the recomap issue. Last time,
the hon. Prime Minister replied that there has been a
Monitoring Committee. Can we know what are the follow-up
actions that have been initiated by the Ministry?
Mr Bachoo: Mr
Speaker, Sir, we have got a series of small committees which
have been set up and the recomap issue also is under the
jurisdiction of my Ministry. In fact, there has been a slight
technical problem as far as that committee is concerned and,
most probably, with the help of the Ministry of Local
Government, we are going to sort it out. Apart from that, all
the other committees which have been set up, we are definitely
following all the different issues where my officers have been
involved at the international level.
Mr Dowarkasing: Mr
Speaker, Sir, the fact that environmental issues are very
important, can Parliament be apprised of the work of all these
committees in a statement from time to time by the hon.
Minister?
Mr Bachoo: I
will do so, Sir. But,
I need some time because that will take two or three weeks to
prepare, and then I can submit.
Keywords: conferences, workshops, waste management, coastal
management, monitoring committee
Debate
No. 5 of 29.04.08
(No. B/361) Mr J. C. Barbier (Third Member for GRNW &
Port Louis West) asked the Minister of Environment &
National Development Unit whether, in regard to used oil, he
will state –
(a)
who are collecting same, and
(b)
how is it being disposed of or being treated.
Reply: I am advised that two companies, namely Ecofuel
Ltd and Virgin Oil Co. Ltd have been granted EIA licences for
the processing of used oil.
In addition, the company AEL DDS Ltd has been
authorised by my Ministry to transport used oil.
Used oil transported by Ecofuel Ltd and AEL DDS Ltd are
disposed at the facility of Ecofuel Ltd at Pointe aux Sables.
The used oil undergoes physical treatment involving
sedimentation, heating and centrifugation to produce a
clarified oil. This
recycled oil is then sold by Ecofuel Ltd which blends it with
virgin oil to produce boiler fuel.
Keywords:
used oil, collection, disposal, treatment, EIA, recycle
Debate
No. 5 of 29.04.08
FLIC
EN FLAC – NOISE POLLUTION
(No. B/362) Mrs D. Perrier (Fourth Member for
Savanne and Black River) asked the Minister of Environment and
National Development Unit whether he is aware of the increase
in the level of noise pollution at Flic en Flac, especially
during weekends, and if so, will he state the remedial
measures that will be taken.
Reply (The Minister of Health) :
Noise pollution is presently regulated by the following
pieces of legislation –
The Noise Prevention Act 1938 which is
enforced by the Police or any officer delegated by the
Municipal Council or the District Council.
Noise Regulations under the Environment
Protection Act 2002 (EPA) where the enforcing agency is the
Ministry of Health & Quality of Life.
No complaint has been received by my Ministry
during the last 3 years regarding noise pollution at Flic en
Flac.
However, I am informed that the “Police de
l’Environnement” and the Flic en Flac Police Station have
received some 38 and 50 complaints respectively from
inhabitants of Flic en Flac for period 2005 to date -
|
Year
|
No.
of complaints
|
|
|
Police
de l’Environnement
|
Flic
en Flac Police Station
|
|
2005
|
10
|
14
|
|
2006
|
13
|
17
|
|
2007
|
12
|
15
|
|
2008
|
3
|
4
|
I
am also informed that the source of the noise pollution is
especially from bungalows that are temporarily occupied.
Complaints of noise pollution from hotels and
restaurants have also been registered.
The
number of contraventions established, under the Noise
Prevention Act 1938, by the Police de l’Environnement, for
playing music in a loud tone is as follows –
|
Year
|
No. of Contraventions
|
|
2005
|
2
|
|
2006
|
13
|
|
2007
|
2
|
|
2008
|
2
|
Keywords: noise, pollution,
weekend, complaints, police de l’environnment, bungalows,
contravention
Debate
No. 8 of 20.05.08
(No. B/491) Mr M. Dowarkasing (Third Member for Curepipe
and Midlands) asked the Minister of Environment and National
Development Unit whether, in regard to the Environment
Protection fee, he will state if the objectives set out for
the imposition thereof have been met since July 2005 todate.
Reply: The
objective of the Environment Protection Fee (EPF) is to raise
fund for the promotion of local environmental initiatives
aimed at preventing and reducing pollution.
The revenue collected is being credited to the
Consolidated Fund out of which Government expenditure is being
met towards different projects at the national level including
environmental projects such as coastal protection works,
wastewater projects, and upgrading/embellishment of the
physical environment.
To this effect, I would state that the objective of the
Environment Protection Fee is being continuously met.
Keywords: EPF, consolidated fund, coastal protection,
wastewater, upgrading, embellishment
Debate
No. 11 of 10.06.2008
(No. B/646) Mr M. Allet (Second Member for Beau Bassin
& Petite Rivière) asked the Minister of Environment and
National Development Unit whether, in regard to the Corniche
Bay Gulf Integrated Resort Scheme Project at La Gaulette, he
will state if he has received any representation from the
inhabitants of La Gaulette regarding the environmental aspect
thereof and, if so, if any other Ministry has been involved
therein, indicating the extent of the involvement.
Mr Bachoo: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, representations were
made to my Ministry. As
is the practice, the concerns were fully considered by all
relevant Ministries and authorities which form part of the EIA
Committee.
In this particular case, the environmental and heritage
concerns were fully addressed by a Technical Committee along
with representatives of the Ministry of Arts & Culture,
National Heritage Fund and Le Morne Heritage Trust Fund.
The conditions attached to the EIA licence issued take
care of the concerns raised.
Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I also wish to inform the House
that, further to the issue of the EIA licence, an appeal has
been lodged at the Environment Appeal Tribunal.
The appeal is still under consideration.
Mr Allet: M. le président, le ministre peut-il dire si
la plateforme patriotique pour la sauvegarde du Morne a fait
appel au tribunal de l’environnement au sujet du slave trail ?
Mr Bachoo: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the appeal has been
made against the EIA licence which has been issued.
Mr Guimbeau: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, can the hon.
Minister state whether this IRS project has an effect on the
proclamation of the Morne mountain comme patrimoine mondial de
l’UNESCO?
Mr Bachoo: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am not in a position
to answer this question, because this matter is before the
tribunal. I will
request the hon. Member to bear with me and let the findings
be out.
Mr Guimbeau: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, what about the
involvement of another ministry in the said project?
Mr Bachoo: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in fact, in the EIA
committee, there are, at least, eight Ministries involved.
Representatives of all the eight Ministries sit on the
committee.
Mr Guimbeau: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, is it proper
practice that the Minister of Finance has got exchange of
correspondence with the promoter?
I am going to table the letter.
Mr Bachoo: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I don’t find any
problem with the Ministry of Finance exchanging correspondence
with the promoter.
Key words: EIA licence, environment, heritage, EAT, IRS, Le
morne, UNESCO
Debate
No. 22 of 01.07.08
(No. B/769) Mr A. Ganoo (First Member for Savanne and
Black River) asked the Minister of Environment and National
Development Unit whether he is aware that sand, coral and
beach rocks are being removed from the beach in relation to
works being carried out by the Naïade Hotel at Bel Ombre and,
if so, will he state if -
an Environment Impact Assessment Licence had been applied
for and obtained in relation thereto, and
he has received any complaints from the Association
Professionelle des Pêcheurs du Sud Ouest in relation thereto.
Mr Bachoo: Sir, on 26 November 2007, Naïade Resorts
applied for an Environmental Clearance for the creation of
three swimming zones and a boat passage in the lagoon at
Tamassa Hotel involving manual removal of loose boulders.
The Ministry of Agro-Industry and Fisheries (Fisheries
Division) was consulted and in the light of the favourable
views received from the latter, Naïade Resorts was issued a
Clearance on 29 April 2008 allowing the latter to create two
swimming zones and a boat passage, subject to a set of
conditions. It is to be noted that no EIA licence is required
for such works.
On 05 June 2008, fishermen from Bel Ombre complained
about the removal of boulders by Tamassa Hotel. Site visits
have been effected on 05, 06, 19 and 27 June 2008 by the
officers of my Ministry. Works in relation to the creation of
swimming zones and boat passage has not yet started. No
removal of sand, coral and beach rocks were observed. My
Ministry will maintain monitoring to ensure compliance with
the conditions stipulated in the Clearance.
Mr Ganoo: Mr
Deputy Speaker, Sir, can the hon. Minister, therefore, confirm
that, at some point in time, his Ministry did receive
complaints from the fishermen?
Mr Bachoo: In
fact, I received complaints on 05 June 2008 at around 7.20
p.m. At that
particular moment, I sent officers of my Ministry to have a
look at the situation and I can assure the hon. Member that,
in fact, we are monitoring the situation closely.
Mr Ganoo: Mr
Deputy Speaker, Sir, can I ask the hon. Minister – this is
what I have been told by the fishermen – whether at some
point in time the Ministry or the Director of Environment has
had to intervene by way of a prohibition notice or stop order
to prevent the works from going on?
Mr Bachoo: I
have given instruction to my officers if in case they are
flouting the law, to issue immediate stop order notice.
That was the instruction I gave, but, in fact, it was
not put into practice because nothing was done.
Mr Ganoo: The
hon. Minister is confirming that there have been no works, no
removal of beach rocks or sand at all on the beach?
Mr Bachoo: Not
until now, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir.
As I have said, I am going to monitor the situation
closely.
Keywords: sand, coral, beach rock removal, EIA, Environmental
Clearance, monitoring, stop order notice
Debate
No. 26 of 29.07.08
(No.
B/976) Mr S. Lauthan (Third Member for Port Louis Maritime and
Port Louis East) asked the Minister of Environment and
National Development Unit whether, he is aware that there are
several abandoned vehicles in various streets in Constituency
No. 3, in the regions of Plaine Verte, Roche Bois and Camp
Yoloff, thereby representing eye sores and hindrances to the
pedestrians, and if so, will he state if consideration will be
given for the removal thereof.
Mr
Bachoo: Mr Speaker, Sir, following complaints received and
several site visits, 31 abandoned vehicles have been
identified since January until 25 July 2008. 22 of them have
already been removed through the intervention of Police de
l’Environnement. The owners of 3 more abandoned vehicles
have also been traced out and sensitized to remove same to
which they have agreed.
Enquiry
is ongoing to trace the owners of the remaining 6 vehicles and
any action deemed necessary will be taken.
Key
words: eyesore, police de l’environnement,
Debate
No. 26 of 29.07.2008
(No.
B/1014) Dr. R. Mungur (Second Member for Flacq and Bon Accueil)
asked the Minister of Environment and National Development
Unit whether he is aware of the unpleasant and noxious odour
affecting the inhabitants of the ex-Queen Victoria Sugar
Estate for a number of years, generated by the effluence
flowing out from the Fuel Sugar Factory, and if so, will he
state the remedial measures that will be taken, if any.
Reply:
Following complaints received from inhabitants of the
ex-Queen Victoria Sugar Estate regarding odour nuisance and
occasional water pollution, especially during the harvest
season, my Ministry carried out an
investigation. It
is found that Fuel Sugar Estate channels all its effluents
into two decantation ponds before discharging them into River
Croignard.
With
a view to minimising the odour nuisance, my Ministry has
requested Fuel to use deodorisers and to install a clarifier
to remove suspended solids from the effluents prior to
discharge in the decantation ponds and eventually into the
river by the end of August.
The quality of the effluent being discharged would thus
be improved.
As
an additional measure, my Ministry has just had part of the
river flowing through Queen Victoria cleaned and dredged over
a length of 1.2 km at the cost of Rs200,000 to ease the free
flow of water.
The
situation will be monitored and any additional measure deemed
necessary will be taken.
Keywords:
air pollution, odour, health, nuisance, water pollution,
effluent discharge, dredging,
Debate
No. 33 of 11.11.08
(No.
B/1264) Mrs S. Grenade (Second Member for GRNW and Port Louis
West) asked the Minister of Environment and National
Development Unit whether, in regard to the construction of a
coal fired power plant at Pointe aux Caves, he will state if
the Environment Impact Assessment has already been granted to
CT Power and, if not, why not.
Reply:
The reply is no, as the application
is still being processed.
Keywords:
EIA
Debate
No. 35 of 25.11.2008
(No. B/1318) Mr
M. Dowarkasing (Third Member for Curepipe & Midlands)
asked the Minister of Environment and National Development
Unit whether, in regard to the Reco-Map Project, he will state
where matters stand, indicating if any project has started as
at to date.
The Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Production and
Security (Mr S. Faugoo):
Mr Speaker, Sir, with your permission, I shall answer
this question.
The implementation of the Reco-Map Project started in
August 2006 and its completion is expected to be by July 2011.
It is a regional project covering seven countries in
the Eastern African and Western Indian Ocean including
Mauritius.
Various activities are being implemented in the seven
countries since August 2006.
Those concerning Mauritius relates to –
(a)
capacity building on monitoring and conservation of coastal and
marine biodiversity and natural resources;
(b)
development of a regional Centre for Excellence for Coastal Zone
Management;
(c)
sensitisation on Integrated Coastal Zone Management Issues
through school competition and other programmes, and
(d)
participation of non-state actors in the management of the
coastal zone through implementation of demonstration projects.
Mr Dowarkasing: Mr
Speaker, Sir, I do not know whether the hon. Minister will
have the information, but I will still put the question. Is he aware that there was a workshop that needed to be
conducted regarding the status of our coral reefs on this
particular project? Has
that workshop been conducted and, if so, when and can we know
the outcome of that particular workshop?
Mr Faugoo: My
colleague will be back by next week.
As far as I know, in some record here, a lot of
workshops have been carried out regarding the different
programmes which I just mentioned, there is one original
training for coastal and marine technicians, original training
on ICZM tools and planning was conducted at La Plantation
Hotel from 19 to 25 May 2008.
There was also a training workshop on the use of CoReMo
coral reef database, version 3.1 carried out in May 2008.
Mr Dowarkasing: My question, Mr Speaker, was very
specific. I think the hon. Minister has all the replies, but
my question was very specific and that has not been answered:
whether there was a workshop held in May 2008 regarding the
status of our coral reefs specifically?
Mr Speaker: The hon. Minister said that he did not have
the information.
Mr Faugoo: This is what I said: there was a training
workshop on the use of coral reef database which was carried
out in May 2008.
Mr Dowarkasing: Therefore, Mr Speaker, can the hon.
Minister table the circulated report regarding that workshop?
Mr Faugoo: I will look into it, Mr Speaker, Sir.
Mr Dowarkasing: Can we know whether any proposals or any
project proposals have been submitted so far and, if so, how
many project proposals regarding the coastal management
programme have been formulated and have been submitted for
this project to be taken on board?
Mr Faugoo: I don’t have the relevant information, Mr
Speaker, Sir.
Keywords:
project, monitoring, coastal, marine biodiversity, natural
resources, ICZM, sensitization, workshop, reef
Debate
No. 36 of 02.12.08
(No. B/1369) Mr S. Lauthan (Third Member for Port Louis
Maritime & Port Louis East) asked the Minister of
Environment & National Development Unit whether, in regard
to the implementation of an ethanol refinery project at Cité
Roche Bois, he will state if he is aware of the
representations made by the inhabitants thereof to the effect
that it may represent serious environmental and health
hazards.
Mr Bundhoo: Mr
Speaker, Sir, my Ministry is not in presence of any
representation made by the inhabitants of Cité Roche Bois.
Furthermore, I wish to inform the hon. Member that, up to
now, no application has been received at my Ministry for an
EIA licence with regard to the implementation of an ethanol
refinery project at that site.
Mr Lauthan: Mr
Speaker, Sir, may I request the hon. Minister to liaise with
the Ministry of Local Government because at the launching of
the project the President of the forces vives de Roche Bois
objected publicly. Roche
Bois being surrounded by l’essence, gaz, engrais, produits
chimiques and now the ethanol refinery project, there is
strong resistance to the setting up of the ethanol refinery
there.
Mr Bundhoo: Mr
Speaker, Sir, with your permission, I would like to refer the
hon. Member to PQ No. B/121 addressed to the then Minister of
Agro-Industry whereby he was informed that the land was
earmarked and allocated by the then Mauritius Freeport
Authority on 17 September 2004 while he was in Government.
Mr Lauthan: However,
it seems that Government is proceeding further because
following that protest, the Lord Mayor said that they would
review the whole thing and come with a second presentation of
the project.
Mr Bundhoo: I
am not aware if the Lord Mayor is mandated with regard to
environment project issues and to give go ahead or not.
Mr Bérenger: May I ask the hon. Minister whether he has
taken the trouble to at least liaise with the Board of
Investment, to check whether there is a project at the Board
of Investment?
Mr Bundhoo: I shall do same.
Keywords:
ethanol, EIA licence, implementation, protest, BOI
Debate
No. 36 of 02.12.08
(No. B/1390) Mr A. Ganoo (First Member for Savanne and
Black River) asked the Minister of Environment and National
Development Unit whether, in regard to the project for the
construction of a jetty at Le Morne, he will state –
the name of the applicant, indicating the date on which
the application was received;
if an Environment Impact Assessment has been issued, and
if the applicant has been granted all the required
permits.
Mr Bundhoo: Mr Speaker, Sir, no application for the
construction of a jetty at Le Morne has been submitted to my
Ministry. Therefore, parts (a) and (b) of the question do not
arise.
Mr Ganoo: Is the hon. Minister aware that applications
have been made by certain hotel promoters in that region for
the construction of a jetty on the Pas Géométriques at Le
Morne?
Mr Bundhoo: Mr Speaker, Sir, as I mentioned earlier, at
the moment there is no application for an EIA for any jetty at
Le Morne, but should the hon. Member had any specific jetty in
mind, I would certainly look into the matter.
Mr Ganoo: Is the hon. Minister aware that the Beachcomber
Group, for example, is one of the applicants?
Mr Bundhoo: Mr Speaker, Sir, from information I have with
me Le Paradis Beach Resort and Dinarobin Hotel, both from the
New Mauritius Hotel Group, have had their jetty already
constructed.
Mr Ganoo: Can the hon. Minister tell us, in this
particular case, when was the EIA issued?
Mr Bundhoo: May I, Mr Speaker, Sir, with your permission,
inform the hon. Member that both jetties were constructed
before the requirement of an EIA.
Mr Ganoo: Is there any application pending at the moment
for the construction of a jetty?
Mr Bundhoo: I have already replied to this question, Mr
Speaker, Sir.
Keywords:
EIA
