News / Regional
Insiza Dam pipeline to displace villagers
14 Feb 2013 at 23:19hrs | Views
THE Insiza Rural District Council says the duplication of the Insiza Dam pipeline to Ncema by the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to improve water supply to the city will displace some villagers.
In an interview, the chief executive officer for Insiza RDC, Mr Sidres Manombe, said he had been briefed in a meeting held with the BCC and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) last week that stakeholders from Insiza raised the issue of some of homesteads and fields that were likely to be affected by the development.
"Since BCC would be drawing water from the district while communities along the way together with their fields would be displaced, stakeholders felt that BCC should be clear on that issue, as to what role it would play to assist those families who would be affected. With a project of that magnitude, BCC should at least assist those communities," he said.
However, Mr Manombe said the meeting showed that BCC had not kept Insiza District up to date, as to the progress concerning the duplication of the pipeline.
BCC had in the past months only indicated its plans to duplicate the pipeline and that some Environmental Impact Assessment was being carried out.
"Issues that came up in the meeting showed that BCC had not given us enough information on the duplication of the pipeline. It has emerged that the pipeline is to be constructed," said Mr Manombe.
The duplication of the pipeline was necessitated by the BCC's dire need to improve its water supplies to the city as the pipeline used is said to be worn out and not releasing enough water, as per the 1974 agreement which was signed between the then Ministry of Water Affairs, Zinwa and the RDC.
Mr Manombe said Zinwa brought the 1974 agreement, as per the request of the stakeholders during the meeting held last year.
He said the agreement stated that BCC was to get 79,5 percent of the dam water present at a specific time while Insiza was to get the remaining 20,5 percent.
For example, if the dam is 50 percent full, BCC gets 79,9 percent of that while the 20,5 percent goes to Insiza District.
"Once the pipeline is duplicated, BCC would decommission the old one. It is not that both pipes would be used, but it is just that BCC needs a bigger pipe," said Mr Manombe.
Negotiations between Insiza RDC, Zinwa and BCC started last year at which Insiza stakeholders had indicated that the district had grown bigger hence the need for more water than that which was stipulated in the agreement.
Mr Manombe said negotiations between the parties concerned were going on well.
However, stakeholders have appealed to the BCC to consider revisiting the agreement, as it was done years ago when there was not much development in Insiza at that time.
"It is now up to BCC to respond, as the representatives, who were present at the meeting, said the proposal would be looked into. Stakeholders are also expected to make written submissions concerning the issue while the RDC would do likewise," he said.
In an interview, the chief executive officer for Insiza RDC, Mr Sidres Manombe, said he had been briefed in a meeting held with the BCC and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) last week that stakeholders from Insiza raised the issue of some of homesteads and fields that were likely to be affected by the development.
"Since BCC would be drawing water from the district while communities along the way together with their fields would be displaced, stakeholders felt that BCC should be clear on that issue, as to what role it would play to assist those families who would be affected. With a project of that magnitude, BCC should at least assist those communities," he said.
However, Mr Manombe said the meeting showed that BCC had not kept Insiza District up to date, as to the progress concerning the duplication of the pipeline.
BCC had in the past months only indicated its plans to duplicate the pipeline and that some Environmental Impact Assessment was being carried out.
"Issues that came up in the meeting showed that BCC had not given us enough information on the duplication of the pipeline. It has emerged that the pipeline is to be constructed," said Mr Manombe.
The duplication of the pipeline was necessitated by the BCC's dire need to improve its water supplies to the city as the pipeline used is said to be worn out and not releasing enough water, as per the 1974 agreement which was signed between the then Ministry of Water Affairs, Zinwa and the RDC.
He said the agreement stated that BCC was to get 79,5 percent of the dam water present at a specific time while Insiza was to get the remaining 20,5 percent.
For example, if the dam is 50 percent full, BCC gets 79,9 percent of that while the 20,5 percent goes to Insiza District.
"Once the pipeline is duplicated, BCC would decommission the old one. It is not that both pipes would be used, but it is just that BCC needs a bigger pipe," said Mr Manombe.
Negotiations between Insiza RDC, Zinwa and BCC started last year at which Insiza stakeholders had indicated that the district had grown bigger hence the need for more water than that which was stipulated in the agreement.
Mr Manombe said negotiations between the parties concerned were going on well.
However, stakeholders have appealed to the BCC to consider revisiting the agreement, as it was done years ago when there was not much development in Insiza at that time.
"It is now up to BCC to respond, as the representatives, who were present at the meeting, said the proposal would be looked into. Stakeholders are also expected to make written submissions concerning the issue while the RDC would do likewise," he said.
Source - TC
