Company resumes access roadworks

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STANDARD Concrete Industries (a subsidiary of Basic Industries) has resumed works on the construction of an access road for the extraction of gravel and sand from the Wailiko River at Dakuinuku Village in Tailevu.

Basic Industries chief executive officer Mosese Volavola confirmed this, saying the company hoped to finish construction works as soon as possible.

The company had earlier obtained consent for dereservation of iTaukei Reserve for the construction of the access road.

In a judgment delivered on April 30, judge Justice Deepthi Amaratunga concluded that until dereservation and legal licence to use the road access was obtained, the company was restrained from carrying out any type of work in iTaukei Reserve land and use of the said access road.

However, in an interview with this newspaper yesterday, Mr Volavola said the company resumed work at the site on June 10 after the formalisation of the Lease Agreement documents from the iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) on June 7.

“Works started two weeks ago,” he said.

“The road is for access to our extraction site.”

The road is expected to also be used by the villagers for access to their respective plantations.

“It’s been delayed by two years and also the mataqali members have been frustrated too because once we start extraction, they will get the royalty, so they’re missing out on the benefits.”

Mr Volavola said the company had not done anything wrong and all their operations were legal.

The alignment of the new access road, he added, would follow an old overgrown logging access road minimising vegetation clearing.

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