16 April 2019

PRIVATE NOTICE QUESTION

To ask the Honourable Minister of Social Security, National

Solidarity, and Environment and Sustainable Development
Whether, in regard to the recent cases of flooding at Fond du
Sac Village, he will –
(a) state if an expert study has been conducted as to
remedial works required and, if so, table copy thereof;
(b) give details of lands already acquired, including date of
acquisition, and of lands remaining to be acquired;
(c) give an estimated timeframe for implementation of works;
and
(d) state if financial compensation is being paid and, if so,
indicate the eligibility criteria therefor and number of
beneficiaries thereof?

REPLY
(16 APRIL 2019)
Madam Speaker,

As the House is aware, it is a known and accepted fact that climate change
has increased the frequency, intensity and severity of disasters particularly for
small and vulnerable Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like Mauritius.
According to the last report of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) published in October 2018, there is now a higher prevalence of extreme
weather events such as flash floods, rainfall variability and intense tropical
cyclones.

Government policy is to act on three major areas to address the problem of

flash floods, namely

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a) to invest in the appropriate infrastructure so as to minimise the impact

of flash floods;

b) to try and be prepared to deal with such events; and

c) to give appropriate support and assistance to victims of flash floods.

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Part A

Madam Speaker,

With regard to part (a) of the question, I wish to highlight that –

1. Fond du Sac has been regularly affected by flooding due to the local
topography of the village which has poor drainage capability and the fact
that major run-off is generated from sugarcane fields located at higher
grounds.

2. In view of its complexity and extensiveness, it was decided during the first
quarter of 2016, to appoint a Consultant in order to identify the best option
for long term remedial measures.

3. Following procurement procedures, the Consultancy Contract was awarded

to Mega Design Ltd. in September 2016 for Rs 6,385,950.00 (VAT incl.)

4. The scope of services included the following:

 Review of existing information and collection of data from site

observations, local inhabitants and other relevant sources;

 Topographical surveys for determination of affected locations and

establishment of catchment/ project area;

 Study of the project area, compilation of inventory of existing

drainage and associated infrastructure, assessment of capability of
existing systems;

 Identification of the actual causes of flooding and their historical

evolution;

 Identification of possible concepts for drainage schemes to resolve

flooding problem;

 Setting up of topographic, hydraulic and hydrologic models, as

necessary;

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 Comparison on the merits and drawbacks of possible solutions and

recommendations on the most optimum drainage system;

5. The Study started on 21 September 2016. Revised Preliminary Design

Report was submitted on 3 March 2017 and finalized in June 2017
following consultations effected with major stakeholders.

6. A consultation meeting with concerned land owners was held on 3 October

2017 to explain the importance of the project and the need to acquire land
for implementing the works.

7. The Detailed Design Report was submitted in December 2017. I am

tabling a copy thereof.

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Part B

Madam Speaker,

As regards part (b) of the question, I am informed that there were 92 plots
of land which needed to be acquired over a total area of around 21 arpents for
the constitution of drains, at Fond du Sac.
The Land acquisition process is fairly lengthy exercise. It involves survey
of land, definition of land acquisition limits after consultation with various
stakeholders, namely the National Development Unit, the Consultant, the
Planning Division of the Ministry of Housing and Lands, District Councils and
Water Resources Unit to sort out issues and constraints prior to finalisation of
drain alignment, access to land-locked sites, width of drains and its reserves.

In the case of Fond du Sac, the main hurdles were the identification of the
land owners and searches had to be carried after which survey started in
May 2017 and completed in December 2018. Survey plan and notices under
Section 8 of the Land Acquisition Act was prepared and finalised and approved
on 21 February 2019.

Transcription with respect to 86 plots of land is being completed today

itself. These lands would be vested with the Prime Minister’s Office (National
Development Unit) on by 18th April, 2019.

Regarding the remaining 6 plots, the addresses of the owners have been
traced on 11 April, 2019 and notices under Section 6 were issued on the same
date. For these plots, Section 8 for compulsory land acquisition will be issued
by 26th April, 2019 after the legal timeframe of 14 days for Section 6. The
6 plots will be transcribed after 21 days as provided in the law that is around
17th of May 2019.

I am tabling the list of land owners and details of plots of land.

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Part C

Madam Speaker,

With regard to Part (c) of the question, I am informed that the Consultant
Mega Design Ltd, had since December 2018, already submitted draft bidding
documents for the appointment of a Contractor to execute works at Fond du Sac
the following works amongst others:
(i) construction of a 2.0 m high floodwall over some 700 m;
(ii) construction and upgrading of a naturally lined cut-off drain 3 m
deep 18 m wide over a length of about 1.3 km;
(iii) construction of masonry lined drain over about 300 m;
(iv) construction of a detention (flood retardation) basin of capacity
83,000 m3 upstream of cut-off drain with flow regulation structure at
outlet;
(v) construction of culverts over cut-off drain across Forbach Road and
Fond du Sac Main Road;
(vi) Upgrading of drain along Fond du Sac Main Road;
(vii) Secondary drains and re-profiling of roads; and
(viii) Relocation of services.

Normal procurement procedures would have required about four months

for the appointment of a contractor for execution of works. However, in view of
the urgency of the situation, decision has been taken this month to implement
the project of ‘Construction of flood mitigation measures at Fond du Sac” under
emergency procurement. Indeed, Section 21 of the Public Procurement Act
2006 provides that “A public body may purchase goods, other services or works
from a single supplier without competition in cases of extreme urgency” which
includes a situation wherein:

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(a) the country is either seriously threatened by or is actually confronted

with a disaster or catastrophe; and
(b) life may be seriously compromised.

Following approval to undertake the project under emergency

procurement, it is expected that a contractor will be appointed by the 1 st week of
May 2019 and works would start by mid-May 2019. The duration of the works
is expected to be 18 months.

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Part D

(d) state if financial compensation is being paid and, if so, indicate the
eligibility criteria therefor and number of beneficiaries thereof?

Madam Speaker,

With regard to part (d) of the question, in accordance with the First
Schedule (Part 1) of the Social Aid Regulations 1984, flood victims are paid a
daily flood allowance of Rs 182 per member of the family per day for a
maximum of 3 days if, firstly, their premises have been flooded and, secondly,
their foodstuffs have been damaged. The payment is released subject to a police
memo certifying that the foodstuff has been damaged. The amount of flood
allowance paid to the victims of the torrential rain of 09 April 2019 at Fond du
Sac, as at yesterday 16.00 hours, is Rs 63,518 covering 111 households
consisting of 349 persons.

In addition, a financial compensation is being paid to the 111 Households

in Fond du Sac, as decided by the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund Board. Rs 6000
is being paid to each adult while any child under 18 years will receive Rs 3000
in each household.

The modalities of payment of the compensation are as follows:-

i. the affected head of household must register himself or herself at

the Police station of the locality, following which the police will
make a site visit.
ii. if the police is satisfied that there is damage to the belongings of
the applicant, then it will issue a memo to the latter.
iii. on receipt of the memo, the applicant will call at the social security
office of his region with the police memo to register for the flood
allowance .

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The total compensation payable from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund to
the victims of Fond du Sac, as at date, will amount to Rs 1,779,000. Payment
has started yesterday and is ongoing today.