Dredging undertaken at the Qawa, Labasa and Wailevu Rivers - Reddy

Dredging has been undertaken at the Qawa River, Labasa River, and Wailevu River because these three rivers have been identified to have major problems.

Minister for Waterways, Mahendra Reddy has highlighted this in parliament when FijiFirst MP, Alvick Maharaj had asked about the status of the work carried out on these rivers.

Reddy says the rivers get sediments from upstream and are subjected to frequent flooding during medium to high intensity rain causing flooding in nearby communities.

He says the 2017-2018 budget had a $3 million dollars allocation for the purchase of dredgers and there is currently a dredger in Nausori and one in Labasa which are 40 years old which the Ministry is looking to retire this year.

Reddy says the dredger had been under repair and two months ago it was recommissioned and the Ministry is dredging Qawa River, the Labasa Navigational Channel and possibly Qaleqa River as well.

The Minister says in the next two months 80,000 cubic meters of silt and soil will be dredged from the three rivers which will assist in mitigating an overflow of water into Qawa flats, Soasoa flats, Basoga, Vunivau, Namara, Nailawa, Naseakula village, Wailevu flats and Tabucola flats. 

He says since dredging works in 1998, there have been no major floods in Labasa.

NFP MP, Prem Singh had asked when dredging will be done in the Rakiraki, Ba and Nadi Rivers, given their frequent flooding.

Reddy says they will be making a full ministerial statement on the Nadi River next Monday, while a tender has been put out for dredging works in the Rakiraki River.

He says the entire Penang River will need to be cleared of debris and then the river will be deepened and widened and the Ministry of Economy is processing the tender which they will give out to the potential tenderer to undertake the works.

SODELPA MP Niko Nawaikula pointed out that the major issue for Qawa River is pollution from the FSC mill and if the Minister could assure there would be no more pollution of that manner.

Reddy had replied that the latest news on that is that there is no more discharge from the FSC into the Qawa River.