ADDIS ABABA – With a view to ensuring the long-term service of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, whose construction is said to hit 66 percent, Environmental protection activities ought to be further coordinated.
So remarked, Solomon Teka, Project Management Director at the Office of National Council for the Coordination of the Public Participation for the Construction of the Grand Dam in an interview with The Ethiopian Herald.
He said the main solution to develop environmental protection include developing cooperation; creating ‘one plan one report’ system; developing national land use plan; and building a legal framework for the community to benefit from the basin development.
Regarding the first issue, he explained that federal and regional government’s concerned bodies have long been engaged in watershed development activities but the tasks should be planned and implemented holistically than in a fragmented way.
As reservoir sedimentation, filling of dams by small particles of sand, threatens the life of most dams, pertinent bodies have responsibilities of joining forces to speed up conservational activities, he said. “Civil societies, higher education institutions, and the entire community should participate in water and environment protection works.”
Commenting that environmental protection works are not a onetime campaign, he noted as sustainability can be possible while actors work together leaving aside the fragmented efforts.Negash Teklu is executive director of Population, Health, and Environment (PHE) Ethiopia. To him, overgrazing stands tall among the causes of land degradation.
To him, billions of tonns of soil eroded annually. “Hence, it is incumbent up on all of us to seek ways and means of preventing overgrazing to ensure the longevity of the Dam.” Issues of development, energy, and poverty reduction have great relationship with basin development works, he said.
He seems to buy Solomon’s proposal as he said Amhara, Oromia, and Benishangul Gumuz regions as well need to work in close cooperation for a better result in the effort of environmental protection. Despite a delay, the hydraulic and mechanical parts in particular, the Environmental protection works has kept on track. The construction of the 6450 MW flagship as well is going with accelerated pace.
The Ethiopian Herald April 12, 2019
BY ABDUREZAK MOHAMMED
