illegal quarrying works being carried out at Calodyne, he will, state whether – (a) an Environmental Impact…
(No. A/55) Dr. Ms B. Thannoo (Second Member for Quartier Militaire & Moka) asked the Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change whether, in regard to illegal quarrying works being carried out at Calodyne, he will, state whether – (a) an Environmental Impact Assessment permit has been secured therefor; (b) any breach of the Environment Protection Act or any other relevant land use or planning regulations has been noted; (c) any stop order, enforcement notice or prosecution has been initiated in connection therewith and, if so, where matters stand, and (d) an assessment has been carried out in respect of reports concerning the transportation and commercial removal of large quantities of rocks and earth materials from the site.
Reply: With regard to part (a) of the question, no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Licence has been issued by my Ministry in respect of rock quarrying activity being carried out at Calodyne. As regards part (b) of the question, following advice tendered by the Office of the Attorney General, a joint site inspection was carried out on 21 May 2026 in the presence of an Officer from the Geo Technical Unit of the Ministry of National Infrastructure. According to the Geo Technical Unit, there is a substantial change of the topography and massive excavation of rocks from the site, and this activity constitutes rock quarrying. Rock quarrying is a scheduled undertaking listed under Part B of the Sixth Schedule of the Environment Act 2024 warranting an EIA Licence. Since no EIA Licence has been issued, there has been a breach of the Environment Act 2024. Concerning parts (c) and (d) of the question, section 112 (1) of the Environment Act provides the following – “Where a person commences or carries on any development or activity without the relevant licence, permit or approval issued under this Act, the Director may cause to be served on that person or any person responsible for the giving of instructions for the carrying out of such development or activity, a stop order prohibiting the development or the activity.” Stop Orders were accordingly issued on 21 May 2026 to the following persons – (i) Mr Mohammed Shahmeem Goolam Hussen Raja, owner of the plot of land; (ii) Mr Doorvesh Sookun, Contractor SOS Pride Co Ltd, and (iii) Mr Chandradeo Hallooman, Operator of excavating machinery. Since the issue of the Stop Orders, regular follow-up site inspections have been carried out by the Police de l’Environnement confirming compliance to the Stop Orders. Moreover, neither the presence of lorries nor excavators was noted and the excavated rocks were still on site. An enquiry has been initiated on the illegal activity by the Police de l’Environnement and the local Police Station, namely the Grand Gaube Police Station.