|
|
|
Published on 01/12/2008
By John Oyuke
Kenya’s environment regulator has approved the Sh51 billion-fibre optic undersea cable, currently being laid by Seacom.
Director General Muusya Mwinzi said the authority was satisfied that the communications cabling contractor had met environmental requirements, including carrying out comprehensive stakeholder consultation.
"We are proud to give the green light to Seacom, after receiving positive environmental impact assessment reports following comprehensive environmental and social impact assessment and clear identification of relevant mitigation measures," he said.
He noted that being the first submarine cable to be granted a Nema licence, Seacom has set high standards on environmental and social impact assessment that competing cables would have to follow.
Mwinzi spoke during the handing over of the certificate of approval by Nema to Seacom President Brian Herlihy yesterday, for its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report.
The 15,000 km undersea fibre optic cable would link South and East African countries with other international broadband cables in South Africa, India and Europe (France).
Archaeological sites
The cable, expected to come into service in June, next year, will connect landlocked countries such as Burundi, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda through terrestrial networks.
The EIA studied the potential impacts, as well as necessary mitigation measures, of the fibre-optic submarine cable.
The potential impacts on marine life and marine resources such as coral reefs and turtle nesting areas as well as impacts on communities leaving near the proposed cable landing station were investigated, among others.
The cable route was also selected in a manner that avoided archaeological sites at the Kenyan coast.
Herlihy expressed delight at receiving the certificate, which is a critical milestone in Seacom’s ability to construct the cable in the Kenyan territory.
"We expect this cable to bring remarkable change to the telecommunications sector and the general business community in line with Kenya’s Vision 2030," he said when he received the certificate at the Nema offices. |
|
/1 
狗仔卡
发表于 2008-12-3 18:05
提升卡
置顶卡
沉默卡
喧嚣卡
变色卡
抢沙发
千斤顶
显身卡
发表于 2008-12-3 22:01
发表于 2008-12-3 22:11
楼主
