ZEMA permit halts Kasama township  roads

Wed, 05 Jul 2017 12:10:31 +0000

By MUKOSELA KASALWE

 CONSTRUCTION of Kasama township roads have come to a standstill awaiting Zambia Environmental Management Authority quarry certificate, says China Geo-Engineering Corporation business manager Chen Chunlin.

Mr. Chunlin said the construction firm applied for a permit two months ago to collect quarry at a designated site which is approximately 200 metres away which he said had quality and type of stones required.

He said the seven township roads were marked and equipment as well as the workforce had been organised but that the biggest challenge was the approval of a ZEMA quarry certificate.

He said China Geo had ZEMA quarry certificate for other sites but were far such as in Mpulungu saying it would be costly and that the terrain was challenging.

“As you can see the equipment is here, the seven roads have been marked but the biggest challenge we have for now is the approval of a ZEMA quarry certificate,” he said.

Mr. Chunlin said he wants to follow the legal requirements and regulations.

He said variations on the project had been done such as at the Kasama College of Education and that the firm informed the Road Development Agency accordingly.

Mr. Chunlin said the project would offer employment to the local people and give Kasama a facelift.

Kasama Central Patriotic Front Kelvin Sampa who toured the China Geo camping site on Monday, said he would follow up the matter with ZEMA as it was a Government project.

Mr. Sampa said he wants the township road works to be completed before the rain season.

He said the project was one of the campaign promises by the ruling party in the district.

The parliamentarian was impressed with the camping site saying the community would benefit once the contractor was done with the project.

Mr. Chulin said the community would not only benefit from their quality works and the building but would construct a road to the nearby farms.

He said the firm would work in collaboration with the local authority such as Chambeshi Water and ZESCO to see the best way of re-allocating water pipes or power connections if need arises.