Vol. 419 No. 3
55 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Finance if the Glenade and Mullies section of the Bonet catchment area were included for drainage work in the original arterial drainage plan as posted; if so, the reason the plan was altered, and if he will will make a statement on the matter.
56 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Finance if it is intended to complete the work of the Bonet catchment arterial drainage in the Glenade and Mullies area; if so, when the work on these stretches will commence; whether they will be done by the Office of Public Works or by contract, and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 56 together. It has been decided to suspend work indefinitely on the Bonet catchment drainage scheme with practically 91 per cent cent of the scheduled work completed. The stretches of the upper Bonet River in the areas of Mullies and Glenade were included as part of the scheduled works of this drainage scheme.
For reasons both environmental and economic, works in these areas have not been completed. The upper reaches of the catchment contain valuable fish spawning grounds. If drainage works were done in these sensitive areas serious damage would be caused which would, no doubt, give rise to substantial claims for compensation. Some works have already been carried out on intermittent sections of the channels in the Glenade and Mullies so the lands in question will not suffer any significant loss. Furthermore, the river in this area has a steep gradient and flows through a narrow valley so that any flooding which does occur is very limited and of short duration.
There are no plans at present to complete the drainage work.
