Nando Bodha, ministre du
Transport et du Traffic routier, a décliné l’invitation des trois élus de la
circonscription No 18 (Belle Rose/Quatre Bornes) pour une réunion ce vendredi 4
avril 2019 pour discuter des problèmes liés aux travaux du Metro Express dans
la région. Le ministre avait pourtant auparavant promis d’assister à cette réunion,
mais il l’a annulée parce que les trois élus ont posé comme condition la
publication du rapport EIA. Selon le ministre, cette requête ne peut aboutir
car le conseil d’administration de MEL n’a pas donné son aval.
Il explique que tous les éléments
de l’EIA ont été intégrés dans le « Environmental Management Plan »
de Larsen and Toubro, dont la supervision est assurée par la Singapore
Cooperation Enterprise et RITES.
« Je note aussi que les
propos des élus ne prêtent pas à une concertation constructive mais relèvent
plutôt d’une stratégie purement politique. Je reste à leur disposition pour répondre aux
questions relevant à la réalisation du projet. Ainsi, nous allons démarrer la
semaine prochaine, une large concertation auprès des différents
« stakeholders ». Je maintiens que les travaux vont se faire dans les
meilleures conditions et que nous serons à l’écoute de toute doléance et
proposition dans une concertation constructive. Nous allons démarrer une
campagne de sensibilisation à partir de la semaine prochaine, » a declaré le ministre Bodha.
Le ministre a également répondu à une
lettre au Leader de l’Opposition, Xavier-Luc Duval. Voir l’intégralité de la
lettre ci-dessous.
05 April
2019
The
Hon.Charles Gaetan Xavier-Luc
Duval,GCSK, MP
Leader of
Opposition
Office of
Leader of Opposition
Port Louis
National
Assembly
Dear Sir,
I refer to your letter dated 4 April 2019.
2. Following
your request and elected Members of the Legislative Assembly for Quatre Bornes,
I did agree to meet you and the Councillors today. However, I note in your letter addressed to me,
that one of the conditions of the meeting of today is that a full copy of the
EIA report be submitted at the beginning of the meeting.
3. You
will remember that I did inform in reply to the Private Notice Question of 09
November 2018 that the Metro Express Project has been delisted from the
requirements of having an EIA by way of regulations under Section (96) (1) and
2(a) of the Environment Act 2002. With delisting, Metro Express Limited had no
obligation to undertake an EIA for the Project. However, as a precautionary
measure, Government agreed to Metro Express Limited having an Environment
Impact Assessment report to be used as a benchmark for all environmental
issues. Therefore, the EIA report from SCE is an internal working document of
MEL.
4. I also deposited 3 documents as follows:
(i) the Request for
Proposal made to Afcons and Larsen and Toubro Ltd as regards the conditions
laid in respect to Environmental Mitigating Measures;
ii)
the Environmental Management Plan of Larsen and Toubro Ltd; and
iii)
the Executive Summary of the EIA Report.
5. I have been advised that the EIA, prepared by the SCE, contains a checklist of measures, as well as a monitoring regime, for the contractor to be assessed against. Larsen and Toubro Ltd has acknowledged and confirmed that the recommendations of the EIA Report will be incorporated in its Environmental Management Plan is so far as they are within the scope of the Employer’s Requirements.
6. Further,
the SCE has confirmed that the Contractor, Larsen and Toubro Ltd has generally
adequately addressed the relevant environmental impacts as a result of its
construction and project activities.
Some limitations were identified and further recommendations were
provided in the EIA for the contractor to take into account in its
environmental management and planning.
7. I also informed that the Metro Express Limited was requested
to consider the possibility of laying the document at the National Assembly.
8. The Board of Metro Express Limited considered the request at
its meeting of 20 November 2018 and was advised that releasing the EIA Report will give rise to
unwanted attacks against the project and jeopardise its timely completion
within the contract budget. Moreover,
the foregoing would defeat the whole rationale of the Project being delisted in
the first place and that the works were being closely
monitored by Rites Ltd and Singapore Cooperation Enterprise.
9. Due consideration is being given to all environmental, social
and economic aspects while implementing the project in the best interest of the
inhabitants of Quatre Bornes and the superior interest of the country. It is
noted that I initially invited you to a meeting in my office on 29 March 2019
but you refused to attend same. It is further noted that hostile statements have
been made on the radio this morning by Honourable Boolell. In such
circumstances, it is felt that a constructive consultation and fruitful
dialogue cannot take place.
10. I nevertheless reiterate the invitation to
meet you and your colleagues at the Ministry.
Yours
faithfully,
N.
Bodha