Contractor violates laws protecting the environment and endangers people’s health, says report

The Chinese contractor working on the standard gauge railway has, on several occasions, failed to protect the environment while some of the company’s activities endanger the health of people living along the line, Nation has established.

A report prepared by a team of consultants reveals several incidents where China Roads and Bridges Construction (CRBC) neglected the sanitation of workers and the effect of works on the communities along the construction corridor.

A supervision mission carried out between February 19 and 27 revealed environmental negligence ranging from noise pollution to destruction of wetlands and blocking of streams that supply water to neighbouring communities.

Workers have complained that they are not able to use the toilets comfortably because some have two or three pits without partitions.

The report says the contractor also reclaimed a section of a tidal flood wetland in Maganda where the company has set up a campsite for Chinese workers.

This is in direct violation of the Water Act 2002, wetlands ecosystems regulations, marine laws and other environmental safeguards meant to protect these areas by discouraging human encroachment.

CRBC had also blocked some rivers and streams which are vital sources of water for communities living downstream of the sites where the water is being re-directed.
For instance, Mkupe Stream and Mwang’ombe River at the Mariakani section have been blocked while the banks of the Tsavo River at Section 2 have been eroded by the contractor’s excavation activities.

The appraisal report also revealed that management of sewage at the Mariakani Camp is poor and poses serious health risks to the workers.

USING THE BUSH

“None of the work areas has sanitation facilities like mobile toilets or temporary pit latrines. The workers have resorted to using the bush. This is not only an unacceptable practise but also a health and safety risk,” reads the report.

These and other similar findings have raised concerns over whether a proper environmental impact assessment was carried out before work started and whether recommendations made by the National Environment Management Authority are being implemented by the contractor.

Uncontrolled dust and flying rocks from blasting at stone quarries presents serious danger to the surrounding communities. A crusher has been placed a short distance from Matangini Primary School, with all the attendant health and safety risks.

Kenya Railways says these are normal challenges at any engineering project and that most of these problems have been resolved while others are still being looked into.

Mr James Karanja, the managing director of APEC Consortium and deputy team leader for the SGR project consulting group told Nation that the contractor had already been instructed to observe the environmental laws and regulations being infringed by his activities.

“Some of these challenges arise as work is going on. But we are working round the clock to resolve them as soon as we become aware of them. Some of these issues cannot simply be resolved overnight.

“For instance, concerning the privacy issue in workers’ toilets, we have made arrangements with the contractor to have the toilets partitioned with card board. Even as we speak, I can confirm that the issue has been resolved,” he said.

Mr Karanja also showed Nation a copy of a letter from TSDI-APEC-EDON Consortium — the group of engineers tasked with supervising the SGR project — addressed to the contractor and highlighting some of the issues.

“Open sewage channels in the camps (Mariakani, Bachuma, Voi etc) should be replaced with appropriate sewer pipes leading to appropriate sewage handling facilities,” reads the March 26 letter. This was in response to complaints that the Chinese had set up open sewerage systems which posed health risks.

On the crusher next to a primary school, Mr Karanja said arrangements had been made to move the school by the end of this month.

“The contractor has signed a memorandum of understanding with the school principal and they are even going to set up temporary structures so that the school does not incur any relocation costs,” he said.