Environmental Impact Assessment on Chikwawa Road in Malawi
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
ES 1 PREAMBLE
This document serves as an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the proposed road to Fatima in Chikwawa district. The project runs from Thabwa (near Shire River) to Fatima. The road has a lot of bridges and culverts since it is near the Shire River.
The project proponent is Chikwawa Town Assembly with Asian Grant Aid estimated at US$ 7Million. The total length of the road is about 22 Km and is a dusty road. There are 25 bridges and culverts that are estimated to be built along this road.
ES 2 SCOPE OF THE WORKS
The proposed scope of the project is construction of tarmac road since currently the road is a dusty one and also construction of bridges, construction of drainage system (culverts) along the roads, installation of twenty five bus lay byes, pedestrian walkway and cycle track, kerb stones, road markings, street lights, pedestrian crossings and signals at school, hospital and shopping centres.
ES 3 EIA STUDY APPROACH
The EIA study was commissioned to determine the potential impacts (both negative and positive) on the environment that could arise from the proposed project in Chikwawa. To accomplish this task, the EIA team was guided by the Terms of References (TORs) drawn by the Environmental Affairs Department (EAD). For thorough exploration of the TORs and addressing the identified impacts, the team used several approaches such as site visits, observations, literature review, professional judgment, discussions, with the authorities.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Background Information
Chikwawa is one of the 28 Districts in Malawi located in the Southern Region of Malawi. It is one of the border districts sharing the country's international boundary with Mozambique to the West and district boundaries with Mwanza to the North, Thyolo to the East, Blantyre to North East and Nsanje to the South. Its main topographic features are the flat basin of Shire River and the Thyolo-Chikwawa Escarpment.
ES 1 PREAMBLE
This document serves as an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the proposed road to Fatima in Chikwawa district. The project runs from Thabwa (near Shire River) to Fatima. The road has a lot of bridges and culverts since it is near the Shire River.
The project proponent is Chikwawa Town Assembly with Asian Grant Aid estimated at US$ 7Million. The total length of the road is about 22 Km and is a dusty road. There are 25 bridges and culverts that are estimated to be built along this road.
ES 2 SCOPE OF THE WORKS
The proposed scope of the project is construction of tarmac road since currently the road is a dusty one and also construction of bridges, construction of drainage system (culverts) along the roads, installation of twenty five bus lay byes, pedestrian walkway and cycle track, kerb stones, road markings, street lights, pedestrian crossings and signals at school, hospital and shopping centres.
ES 3 EIA STUDY APPROACH
The EIA study was commissioned to determine the potential impacts (both negative and positive) on the environment that could arise from the proposed project in Chikwawa. To accomplish this task, the EIA team was guided by the Terms of References (TORs) drawn by the Environmental Affairs Department (EAD). For thorough exploration of the TORs and addressing the identified impacts, the team used several approaches such as site visits, observations, literature review, professional judgment, discussions, with the authorities.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Background Information
Chikwawa is one of the 28 Districts in Malawi located in the Southern Region of Malawi. It is one of the border districts sharing the country's international boundary with Mozambique to the West and district boundaries with Mwanza to the North, Thyolo to the East, Blantyre to North East and Nsanje to the South. Its main topographic features are the flat basin of Shire River and the Thyolo-Chikwawa Escarpment.