National Federation Party MP, Lenora Qereqeretabua’s motion to increase funding for compliance and enforcement of Environmental Impact Assessments to $1 million was defeated in Parliament.
Qereqeretabua says the allocation has dropped from $60,000 to only $15,000 in the National Budget and they need to give the Environment Ministry the team so that they can go and do their job.
She says $15,000 for compliance and enforcement for Environmental Impact Assessments is just not enough for them to do their job.
While contributing to the motion, SODELPA MP, Niko Nawaikula claimed that there is no enforcement of Environmental Impact Assessments.
Minister for Environment, Dr. Mahendra Reddy then told parliamentarians that they won a court case where they prosecuted a company which established an asphalt plant in Nausori without doing an Environmental Impact Assessment.
He says after the court order, the plant was demolished and the company had to pay a fine of $10,000.
Dr Reddy also says they have a whole unit for Environmental Impact Assessments.
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