AfricaPress-Tanzania: STATE Minister in the Vice President’s Office (Union and Environment) Selemani Jafo, yesterday directed relevant authorities to ensure that contractors implementing the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project observe environmental regulations as required.
He issued this appeal during an inspection visit at the project site to obtain a briefing on compliance with the conditions set out in the Environmental Impact Assessment certificate issued by the VPO.
Site supervisors explained the ongoing power washing project stage in the Rufiji River Basin as being implemented in compliance with environmental laws.
The minister said he was satisfied with the information provided by Resident Engineer John Mageni about land conservation after pits were dug for construction materials including stones, pebbles and sand.
“I am satisfied with the explanation of our experts that these excavated areas will be used as a source of aquatic breeding grounds after the project is completed,” he stated, expressing relief at those explanations.
He directed the resident engineer and contractors to ensure that scrap and electronic waste produced in the project are disposed or processed in compliance with environmental procedures and sold to traders with state environmental permits.
This should include a collection permit, a storage permit and a waste transport permit, while all waste generated on the construction site must be handled in compliance with set environmental requirements, he said.
The minister instructed Dr Samwel Gwamaka, the Director General of the National Environmental Management and Conservation Council (NEMC), to closely monitor the environmental agenda, on site conservation and wider environmental management as the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station is built.
Inspecting the sewage system at the site, he said he had instructed the project environmental officer to ensure that he maintains statistics on the amount of sewage produced in the area.
Dr Gwamaka said he will work on instructions given by the minister to ensure that NEMC monitors all aspects of environmental conservation requirements set out for the project. “We have received instructions and will continue to oversee this major energy efficiency project in any area of environmental protection,” he stated.
Earlier the project manager had stated that ongoing activities were in compliance with the requirements of the environmental legislation as per the environmental compliance certificate issued by NEMC.
The minister made a working tour at the massive power generation project to see how far environmental protection and conservation was being observed. Work on the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station has reached 54 per cent out of 59 per cent targeted up to this point and is expected to be completed by June 6, 2022,officials noted.
