A memorandum of understanding (MOU) must be signed before discharging of untreated water proceeds at the Gold Ridge tailing dam, a concern leader and former premier says.
Mr Stephen Panga said, this is necessary to guarantee the safety of the communities for possibilities of any side effects of water when it is discharged.
The government through the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology on July 7, declared a state of disaster over the Gold Ridge area.
This followed reports that the water level at the tailings dams has risen posing a threat to the communities living downstream due to continues heavy rainfall during the tropical cyclone Raquel.
To manage it in a short a term for the safety of the community the appropriate measure is to make a controlled discharge of untreated TSF water into the river.
But the former premier said, while he acknowledged the declaration by the government a MOU must be signed between the Metapona downstream communities, stakeholders, government and the Gold Ridge communities.
“This is to guarantee the safety of the surrounding communities for any possibilities of outbreak that may cause from discharging of untreated water from the tailing dam,” he said.
He said, consultations have been done with the communities to take the measure but the people are still worried about their safety.
“Before any process of discharging of untreated water is carried out a provision to provide water tanks must be prepared, relief supplies plan must be done, monitoring system including representatives from the area must be in place, update information must be provided to the communities and notice should be issued to the communities.”
He said, these are some of the areas the communities must agree on with the government and the stakeholders to make sure their safety are taken care off should there be any effects arise from discharging of untreated water from the tailings dam.
By CHARLES KADAMANA
