[La Tour Koenig/Résidence Coquillage – Air Pollution] [Buses - Carbon Emitting – Penalties]

Debate No. 1 of 22.03.11

LA TOUR KOENIG/RÉSIDENCE COQUILLAGE – AIR POLLUTION

(No. B/24) Mr J. C. Barbier (Second Member for GRNW & Port Louis West) asked the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development whether in regard to the air monitoring at La Tour Koenig and Résidence Coquillage, following the air pollution caused by Compagnie Mauricienne de Textile Limitée, he will state if his Ministry has made any recommendations in relation thereto and, if so, will he table copy thereof.

            Mr Virahsawmy: Mr Deputy Speaker Sir, my Ministry had made the following recommendations to be implemented by CMT Ltée through an Enforcement Notice -

(i)         submit an Environmental Monitoring Plan for approval by the Director of Environment;

(ii)        carry out an audit of the boilers to identify cause of breakdown and to submit a programme of measures to remedy the situation including a contingency plan in case of any incidence that can affect the environment;

(iii)       submit a schedule for regular maintenance of boilers;

(iv)       inform this Ministry of additional measures taken to ensure surveillance of stack emissions at all time when the boilers are in operation;

(v)        carry out a survey of affected areas;

(vi)       clean up/reinstate the premises in the vicinity of CMT which have been affected by deposition of particulate matter.

A copy of the recommendations with the conditions of the Enforcement Notice is being tabled.

Mr Barbier: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, may I inform the hon. Minister that, in spite of all the measures proposed by his Ministry - I don’t know whether all these have been implemented or not - from time to time, we are still having ash coming from the chimneys which is spreading all over the region around the CMT.  I would like to know whether the Minister is agreeable to accept the proposal of the inhabitants of this area to ask CMT to raise the chimneys like at Saint Louis power station and Victoria power station, where the chimneys are high enough, and the ash spreads over the sea.  Will the Minister consider this request of the inhabitants La Tour Koenig and Résidence Coquillage?  Will he set up a committee to follow up this proposal?

Mr Virahsawmy: I do not have any objection.  In fact, I think that it is a good proposal.  There is already a Committee, which was set up by Government in March 2010 and which is made up of various Ministries.  I shall ask the Committee to meet the Directors of CMT.  We shall discuss together to see how we can improve the height of the chimney, so that this can bring a better solution to the environment and to the residents of the region.

Keywords: La Tour Koenig/Résidence Coquillage – Air Pollution

 

 

Debate No. 8 of 17.05.11

BUSES - CARBON EMITTING - PENALTIES

(No. B/323) Mr J. Seetaram (Second Member for Montagne Blanche & GRSE) asked the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development whether, in regard to buses, he will state if Government proposes to amend the legislation to make provision for tougher penalties for those emitting carbon.

Mr Bachoo: Mr Speaker, Sir, our existing Road Traffic(Control of Vehicle Emission) Regulation dates back as far as 2002.  They make reference to Euro I standard when today we have Euro IV standard.  We are in the process of reviewing our existing regulations, at the same time, penalty will be tougher. 

Mr Bérenger: Mr Speaker, Sir, can I ask the hon. Minister whether he has taken note of the number of Police and CNT vehicles that are polluting our roads?

Mr Bachoo: Mr Speaker, Sir, that is the reason why I have mentioned that we are going to review our laws and, at the same time, I would like to inform the House that we are under the process of procuring ten modern smoke meters. In fact, the evaluation is on. I am aware of the problem that is being caused as a result of smoke emission. Further I can assure the House that all actions will be taken to diminish it.

Mr Bhagwan: The situation is very alarming. Although we have read that the Ministry of Environment is purchasing equipment and so on, I consider that there is no concerted action, it is not only one Ministry; it is the Ministry of Environment, the Police and the Minister responsible. There is no concerted effort from what we see. Can the Minister inform the House whether recently there have been meetings chaired by him with all the different stakeholders and that firm action has been taken? Can the Minister give us a case where the licence of one bus has been revoked? Give us, at least, one case.

Mr Speaker: Put your question!

Mr Bhagwan: Normally when you take one you refer it to the NTA. Give us one case and everybody will see what is happening on the road.

Mr Bachoo: I am not in a position to say whether the licences have been revoked, but at least, actions are being taken. I can assure the hon. Member that, in fact, there is a committee which has been set up and we have also taken decisions; we have reduced the sulphur content in our diesel. Actually, I can inform the House that we want to reduce it to 50 ppm and the meetings are on. Once we procure the new meters, I do hope that actions will be taken and this question of our environment getting a bit more polluted will come down.

Mr Bhagwan: I have one last question Sir. I think it’s time for action and hard action. Whatever sensitisation is done, people are dying. They are having asthma and other types of diseases. Can I request the hon. Minister to take action, hard action?  If you ask me: “when have you seen one jeep of the Environment Police on the road these days?”  Government, itself, has taken action to reduce the…

Mr Speaker: You are making a statement.  Put the question.

Mr Bhagwan: I am asking the Minister whether he will liaise with his colleagues to give more means to the Environment Police that action be taken on the road even seize motor vehicles?

Mr Speaker: Yes!

Mr Bachoo: Mr Speaker, Sir, I have just mentioned that the regulations are being reviewed over again and tougher punishment should be imposed.

Mr Hossen: Pertaining to the issue of coordination, is it not true that there is an Environment Coordination Committee under the aegis of the Ministry of Environment which means on a monthly basis to assure coordination of environment issues?

Mr Bachoo:  I have already mentioned that we have got a committee which sits monthly and, Mr Speaker, Sir, I can mention the actions which are being taken; the conduct, the thorough review of the existing natural regulations and incentives to promote cleaner and more fuel efficient vehicles in Mauritius. We are trying to develop and follow the implementation of cleaner fuel and vehicle policies. We are coming up with a roadmap for the introduction of lower sulphur content from 500 ppm to 50 ppm.

 

Keywords: smoke emission, control of vehicular emission