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dam-l Contact Update news bits/LS

The following are news items of interest from "Contact Update," a South
African email publication.

>Linden Booth
>Contact Coordinator
>Tel & Fax (021) 4486159
>12 Perth Road, Observatory, 7925 CT
>linden@iafrica.com
>
>Taking Parliament to People, and People to Parliament
>Contact Update is a newsletter sent out every two weeks.  Contact believes
>that all South Africans have a right to know what is happening in
>Parliament, and a role to play in its decisions.  Please forward this to
>any person or organisation who may find it useful or interesting.  Contact
>urges all readers to become involved in parliament or other policy issues.
>If you are not on the regular mailing list, and would like to be added to
>the list, or have any other query, please contact Linden at
>linden@iafrica.com.  The Update mailing list is held in confidentiality.
>____________________________________________________________________________
>1.5 CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS FROM THE WORLD COMMISSION ON DAMS
>
>Deadline: Unknown
>The World Commission on Dams is an independent and international commission
>established in May 1998. Its objectives are to undertake a global review of
>the development effectiveness of large dams and to develop internationally
>acceptable criteria and guidelines for future decision making on dams.
>With Minister Asmal holding the Chair of the WCD, the findings of the
>commission may well impact on the South African policy with regard to large
>dams.  Therefore the invitation for public comment is being included in
>this newsletter.
>
>The Commission has called for submissions on large dams.  The submissions
>may relate to specific dams or river basins, or be general in nature.  The
>submission may also deal with the subjects such as energy, water supply,
>and flood control alternatives; displacement, resettlement and
>rehabilitation; sustainability, development effectiveness of dams;
>decommissioning; the policy and institutional framework for decision-making
>in the project and planning cycle, etc.
>
>For an expanded description of issues in the proposed thematic reviews and
>case studies, visit the website at www.dams.org.  Submissions can be filled
>in on the website, emailed to info@dams.org, faxed to (021) 426 0036, or
>mailed to Box 16002, Vlaeberg, Cape Town, 8018.
>___________________________________________________________
>2.6 REGULATIONS ON USE OF WATER FOR MINING AND RELATED ACTIVITIES
>Under the National Water Act, the Minister of Water Affairs is empowered to
>make regulations with regards the use of water.  Regulations regarding the
>use of water in relation to mining were published in the Government Gazette
>on the 4 June.
>
>The explanatory note for the regulations read as follows:
>The Department subscribes to the principles of co-operative governance and
>recognises the role of the Department of Mineral and Energy Affairs to
>co-ordinate environmental management within the Mining industry and the
>role to the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism as the lead
>agent on matter affecting the environment.  The roles of Environmental
>Management Programme Reports and Environmental Management (Act No. 50 of
>1991), and Environmental Impact Assessment Reports required in terms of the
>Environmental Conservation Act, 1989 (Act No. 73 of 1989) are recognised
>and supported by the department.  Any information, obligations, programmes,
>permissions and decision-making processes will be recognised by the
>Department.  To promote coordination, copies of relevant exemptions from
>the requirement of the regulations will be forwarded to the Department of
>Minerals and Energy and the Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism.
>
>Implementation of the regulations will be delegated to the appropriate
>level as soon as the necessary capacity has been created at regional level
>or catchment level.

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      Lori Pottinger, Director, Southern Africa Program,
        and Editor, World Rivers Review
           International Rivers Network
              1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94703, USA
                  Tel. (510) 848 1155   Fax (510) 848 1008
                        http://www.irn.org
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