AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE National Environmental Council is looking forward to form a team of environmental experts who will study the causes of serious damage and ruling waves on the Coastal stretch where two prominent Dar es Salaam hotels are situated.
The team will be given four days for the study and report results to the Vice President Office.
Calling for the expert views on the problem over the weekend, Minister of State in Vice- President’s Office Mussa Zungu (Union and Environment), said that the VPO was aware of the acrimonious relations between managements of the two hotels as a result of the effects of raging waves, but quipped that only expert views would tell the real causes and suggest solutions.
The minister visited the area following written complaints by some owners of the hotels charging that the protective conservation measures taken by neighbouring hotel complicated the situation and increased gravity of sea devastation in the area.
The minister was sceptical, saying he was not sure if that was the case. “I have come here because we are aware of blames and counter-blames on ravages of the sea that are threatening the existence of your valueless buildings and businesses.
The cause of the acrimonious relations might be effects of climate change, not the ones suggested to us. So only expert views will tell the bona fide causes and propose solutions,” said the minister.
Mr Zungu said effects of climate change were not always overt, arguing that the best approach to the problem would be expert study by environment experts.
He said he found similar coastal problems in Pemba.
He called for joint efforts between the government, private sectors and environment stakeholders to fight effects of climate change.
The minister said the government wants to investors in all sectors the economy and does not see investors at logger heads.
He called on investors to respect laws, regulations and guidelines on protecting the environment.
NEMC Director General Samuel G wamaka called on investors to employ environment experts who would make ‘environmental audits’ annually and advise managements on how to handle environment issues before they got off hand.
Tanzania has over 800 kilometres of coastline, stretching from the Kenya border in the north to the Mozambican border in the south.
