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[av_heading heading=’Stoppage order vs hydropower project lifted ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY BOY RYAN ZABAL
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KALIBO, Aklan – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has lifted the stoppage order against a hydropower project in Madalag town.
China International Water and Energy Corp., subcontractor for Oriental Energy and Power Generation Corp., resumed the development and construction of the 18-megawatt Timbaban Hydropower Project.
DENR regional director Jim Sampulna lifted the stoppage order on Oct. 5 after a regional conference. A new affidavit of undertaking and a new Forest Land Use Agreement (FLAg) were signed and executed.
DENR-Aklan Technical Services Division chief Merline Aborka confirmed the lifting of the stoppage order. “They (contractor) resumed work for the road section within their original FLAg area,” she said.
The Provincial ENR Office and a task force under the local government of Madalag are monitoring the project.
“The provincial government is still waiting for the creation of a multipartite monitoring team [under] the regional DENR,” said Provincial Board member Jay Tejada, chairman of the committee on environmental protection.
Task Force Hydro, which Mayor Alfonso Gubatina created in August via an executive order, was tasked to ensure the Timbaban project is in accordance with approved program of works, standard plans and other engineering requirements.
Earlier the DENR issued the project notices of violation in light of deviations in the access road network and the lack of inventory of trees, in violation of sections 77 and 78 of Presidential Decree 705.
Due to road network construction, 1,150 trees in a 2.3-hectare National Greening Program (NGP) site and 30 grown trees were damaged, the DENR said.
PENRO chief Ivene Reyes wrote Oriental Energy that the deviated access road, which was within the NGP site, was not covered by the tree inventory and the Special Tree Cutting and Earth Balling Permit issued by DENR Region 6, covering 107 standing trees.
In July, Oriental Energy and its subcontractor stopped the construction of a 180-meter underground tunnel and vowed to replant trees at 1,000 hectares of the NGP site. They also tapped a people’s organization in the reforestation and submitted maps of their tunnels, dam, penstock, and access roads.
Oriental Energy has the exclusive right to occupy and manage 9.36 hectares of public forestland in barangays Galicia and Cristina in Madalag for 25 years, or until Oct. 21, 2040.
The hydropower project is the first of five mini-hydropower facilities Oriental Energy, sister company of the publicly listed Oriental Peninsula Resources Group, will develop. (Aklan Forum Journal/PN)
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