Reply: With regard to part (a) of the question, mountain reserves, including freehold mountain reserves, are protected under the Forests and Reserves Act 1983. The mountain reserve lines are described in section 2 of the First Schedule of the Act. Trees play a crucial role in slope stabilisation by physically reinforcing soil with roots, reducing water content through transpiration and protecting the surface against erosion. These combined effects help to prevent landslides, reduce soil loss and maintain slope integrity, especially on mountains. Forest Officers are empowered to survey reserves, plant trees, control access and prevent illegal logging or removal of forest produce from mountain reserves. The Forestry Service of the Ministry of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, plays a central role in protecting and restoring mountain reserves and slopes, through reforestation and forest restoration activities and collaborates with other organisations, including private sector and conservation groups, such as the Ebony Forest, to rehabilitate degraded mountain reserves. Firebreaks on Signal Mountain are also being maintained to protect forest plantation against wildfires. The Forestry Service is integrating Nature-based Solutions (NbS) approaches for mountain slope protection/restoration such as the restoration efforts on Signal Mountain. It also actively encourages the implementation of NbS on slopes, thus, allowing the combination of ecological restoration with engineering resilience, through the use of vegetation, ecosystems and natural processes to stabilise slopes while enhancing biodiversity and community benefits. Moreover, tracks and trails established on the mountain ranges are regularly maintained to prevent soil erosion caused by heavy rains. The process involves the digging of ditch drains along tracks found on slopes, shaping of trails so that water goes off the lower side thereof, repairing damaged trails, removing invasive plant species and planting native species to hold soil. The Environment Act 2024 makes provisions for a mechanism to ensure sustainable management and protection of Environmentally Sensitive Areas. As per the First Schedule of the Act, steep slopes are classified as Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs). The Act also makes provision for the development of policies for the protection and conservation of ESAs in addition to recommendations to reduce the degradation of ESAs, maintain their integrity and preserve their ecosystem. The Minister may make regulations as may be necessary for managing, protecting and enhancing ESAs as well their restoration and rehabilitation. In order to exercise control on development in or on ESAs, section 25 of the Environment Act 2024 provides that no person shall, except for undertakings listed in the Sixth Schedule, undertake any land clearing or development in or on any ESAs without a licence or approval. As regards part (b) of the question, steep slopes are defined as lands in their natural state that have a slope angle of 20% or greater for a minimum horizontal distance of 10 metres according to the Planning Policy Guidance 9 of the Ministry of Housing and Lands (MHL) - ‘Development on Sloping Sites and Landslide Hazard Areas’. Furthermore, as per Part B of the Sixth Schedule of the Environment Act 2024, ‘Land clearing and development in or on environmentally sensitive areas’ is a scheduled undertaking warranting an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Licence. As per the First Schedule of the said Act, ‘steep slope’ is an ESA. Any development on steep slopes above 20%, requires an Environment Impact Assessment report, which should be accompanied by a geotechnical investigation report, incorporating a slope stability analysis to assess the natural slope with a view to determining the feasibility of the project. During the processing of EIA applications, the views from relevant institutions, including the Geotechnical Unit of the Ministry of National Infrastructure (MNI) and the local authority, are sought. The Geotechnical Unit, in most cases, imposes a specific condition that the Authority should be informed of any anomaly/unforeseen ground condition that may arise on the basis of daily inspections/monitoring of excavation and foundation works during the construction phase. In addition, all liability associated with the appropriate design and implementation of the proposed development with respect to safety shall rest with the proponent/consultant. A Landslide Hazard Map for Mauritius identifying suspected risk-prone and sensitive areas, including those found on mountainous regions, has been prepared at the level of the Geotechnical Unit. Some 62 earmarked sites considered as critical ones were surveyed with a view to formulating a Landslide Management Plan. The Plan would contain monitoring exercises, proposed countermeasure works and early warning protocols for the sites found hazardous, post the surveys. It is only after finalisation and validation of the Plan that the Geotechnical Unit would be in a position to work on specific countermeasures or other protection systems required at each landslide-prone area, including the development of any soil stabilisation plan. According to the Land Drainage Authority, certain houses at Rivière Profonde, Moka, had been identified as being located within a high-risk area. As an interim measure, the District Council of Moka was requested to relocate the affected households. In parallel, a site visit/coordination meeting was conducted by the Task Force comprising representatives of the Geotechnical Unit, Ministry of Local Government, the Land Drainage Authority, and other relevant stakeholders with a view to assessing the situation and identifying appropriate remedial measures. The report from the Geotechnical Unit is awaited by the Land Drainage Authority. PUBLIC OFFICERS – RETIREMENT AGE – SERVICE IN HIGHER POSITIONS – PROMOTION SCOPE