Iringa Municipality clears Puma over Ruaha River petrol station project.
15th April 2015
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Giving the assurance on Monday, the Regional Commissioner (RC), Amina Masenza said that construction of the petrol station near the wetlands of Ruaha River will not have any environmental effects to the river and the people using its waters.
The RC, who was presenting the report on the implementation of the Big Results Now (BRN) from July, 2013 to February, 2015 said the regional leadership has reported that construction of the said petrol station was expected to start at Plot Number 30/1, Block "A" at Ndiuka Ipogolo area in the Municipality.
In addition, she said that the project has already been issued with a building permit from the municipality after the ( client) Puma Energy Tanzania Limited submitted an environmental assessment certificate to the same.
She said that after receiving the information, the regional leadership found it necessary to ensure higher security of the municipal residents because of the facility built on wetlands and its water was used by many people.
Stakeholders said that construction of the petrol station can be a source of traffic accidents because it is adjacent to the main road of Tanzam and the one that connects it to the municipal headquarters.
She said the action taken by the regional government was to write the Minister of State, Office of the Vice President - Environment, Dr Binillith Mahenge on 12/29/2014, to come and furnish clarity regarding the construction of the petrol station near the wetlands.
"The minister immediately sent the letter to the Director General of the National Environmental Council (NEMC), Eng BT Baya who arrived in the region to meet with the region and municipal leadership. Accompanied by his experts, the managing director of NEMC came to do a session with the leadership and where detailed information was provided on the process of issuing a certificate to allow construction of the filling station,” said the RC.
She said that after the description of the director general of NEMC on the conditions given to the investor (Puma Energy Tanzania Limited) to ensure the facility does not affect the environment, the regional leadership called a session of the project stakeholders to NEMC to clear doubts about the construction of the facility.
The session with the stakeholders held on March 13, 2015 and experts from NEMC together with Puma Energy Tanzania Limited management was assured that the investor had been issued with a certificate of environmental impact assessment, besides being given the conditions to ensure the safety of water and Ruaha river environment.
The stakeholders involved experts Defence and Security Committee of the region, leadership of the municipality, managers and experts from Tanroads, experts from Rufiji Basin, Water Authority in Iringa (Iruwasa), Director General NEMC experts and investor (Puma Energy Tanzania Limited).
At the meeting the stakeholders had the opportunity to question various aspects they were uncomfortable with it, especially Ruaha River water pollution and the fear of the possibility of accidents on the Tanzam highway.
About water pollution, the stakeholders were informed that considering the location of the facility to be in the area the wetlands of the Great Ruaha River, NEMC had ordered study be conducted to determine the trends of construction of the facility.
Hydrological research studies conducted by Dr Ibrahim Mjema from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), confirmed that there will be no water pollution of the river due to the trend of groundwater.
He said that the station is outside the area of the Tanzam road reserve and the other that road that climbs to Iringa town.
The regional leadership said it was satisfied with the project because it will not have any environmental effects to the river.
However, this is the second time that Iringa Municipality has entered into environmental conflict on the construction of structures near the river. The first time was when the municipal authority wanted to construct a regional bus stand near the water source at Igumbilo but was in 2012halted by NEMC together with
the Minister of State, Office of the Vice President - Environment, Dr Binillith Mahenge (MB) due environment effects the project would have on the Ruaha River.
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