11 Aug 2016

The public has been urged to participate in Environmental and Social impact assessments whenever they are requested to.

Speaking during the training course on Inclusive Environmental and Social impact assessments in Gaborone Ms Rapelang Mojaphoko of Botswana Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association said public participation is important to achieve the outcome desired for both the public and the constructor involved for the development in a village.

Ms Mojaphoko said many  people have developed apathy and do not bother to attend such forums which are usually held in kgotlas for the concerned village. She said the public remains the main player and therefore they are to be engaged in environmental assessment for planning, decision making, management, monitoring as well as to evaluate the work.

She further said the goal for villagers or the concerned public to be involved is to improve the quality, legitimacy and capacity of the environmental assessment, especially that they are the ones to live with the outcome of an environmental decision.

Ms Mojaphoko stated that for the public to participate, it could lead to better results in terms of environmental quality and other social objectives.

She also said participation could also enhance trust and understanding among the parties.

She mentioned that there were issues that could be discussed that affect the environmental assessment such as  in the health sector, social environment and change of lifestyle in general.

“Children would all of a sudden have nowhere to play, simple because a road is being constructed, there would suddenly be a lot of movement of construction vehicles, there would be noise,” she said.

Ms Mojaphoko said for that reason it is imperative that the public attend such forums to articulate how they are going to be affected.

She said in those meetings they could identify both the positives and the negatives adding that it is where the concerned public could put forth their request to also substitute for their environment used. Ends