Govt helps La Misère meet pollution costs
The government is paying over R4 million to help 350 La Misère households meet the cost of boiling water after their supply was polluted in February.
Payments, which are being made at the request of President James Michel after he visited the affected families recently, started yesterday and are expected to continue today as the heads of the affected homes get R12,000 each – R1,000 for every month of this year.
Next month the residents will be given another R12,000 per affected home to meet the cost of boiling water next year because the Public Utilities Corporation has said it will not have finished replacing the pipes.
Jacqueline Pierre, chief executive of the Social Welfare Agency, said this yesterday as staff from her office paid the residents at the Souvenir community centre.
She stressed that the payments are not part of the compensation being claimed from the Ascon construction company, which polluted the water.
Mrs Pierre praised the residents, who she said acted responsibly and cooperated with security officers present.
“Many have expressed appreciation for the government’s move. Some said they have babies and are, therefore, not only boiling water to drink but also to bathe them in,” she said.
Source: NATION 8-11-10