the poultry pen found on the reserve of Rivulet St Louis at Cardinal Avenue, Morcellement Raffray, Guibies,…
(No. A/2) Dr. F. Aumeer (Third Member for Port-Louis South & Port- Louis Central) asked the Minister of Local Government whether, in regard to the poultry pen found on the reserve of Rivulet St Louis at Cardinal Avenue, Morcellement Raffray, Guibies, Pailles, he will, for the benefit of the House, obtain from the Municipal City Council of Port Louis, information as to whether actions have been initiated on the request of the Forestry Service in relation thereto.
Reply: In 2005, the Forestry Services of the then Ministry Agro-Industry and Food Security prosecuted one Mr M.B.W. for having undertaken an illegal construction of a boundary wall retaining wall and a concrete building at ground floor along the Rivulet St Louis River Reserve, which is causing obstruction of the watercourse. These constructions date back to 2005. The Municipal City Council of Port Louis (MCCPL) has informed that the building houses a poultry pen. In view of the fact that river reserves fall under the portfolio of the Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, the MCCPL has informed that it has no locus standi in this matter. In 2005, the Forestry Services of the then Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security prosecuted the owner of the premises before the District Court of Moka. The Court ordered the demolition of the illegal development within a period of one year, and the owner was ordered to pay a fine of Rs 2,000. However, the owner did not comply with the Court Order, and in 2009, the latter was again prosecuted. The Court ordered him to pull down the illegal construction and to pay a fine of Rs 3,000. In 2012, he was ordered by Court to pay Rs 3,000 for still not having complied to the Court Order.
131 On 13 December 2024, the then Senior Chief Executive of the Ministry of Local Government effected a site visit at the Morcellement Raffray and it was found that the illegal structure was still encroaching on the river reserve across some 5 metres. Following a meeting held at the Ministry of Local Government on 16 December 2024, under the chairpersonship of the then Senior Chief Executive, it was recommended that the matter be referred to the Forestry Department to seek the advice of the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) due to the fact that the development was made on the reserve of the Rivulet St Louis with an encroachment of some 5 metres. I am informed that on the 12 February 2025, the Forestry Department informed this Ministry that it had already submitted all the relevant documents to the AGO. My Ministry has sent an email to the Forestry Department with respect to the aforementioned matter and a status update is awaited. ADVISERS/SENIOR ADVISERS – MONTHLY ALLOWANCE, GRATUITY & BENEFITS – QUANTUM