Comments HIA TRIF

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=30 BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" style=" border-left: 1px solid #3366CC;" BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>Tulbagh Info Information</B></div> <div> Comments HIA TRIF</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="120" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER BGCOLOR=#0099CC HEIGHT= 15 ><NOBR><div> <U>Back to Local News</U></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> T.R.I.F.</div> <div> (Tulbagh Ratepayers & Inwoners Forum)</div> <div> C/O P.O. Box 339</div> <div> Tulbagh</div> <div> 6820</div> <div> Chairman:  Niël de Jager</div> <div> Contact No: (023 230 0233 / 083 522 8666)</div> <bR> <div> 12 January 2009 </div> <div> P D Naidoo & Associates</div> <div> Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd</div> <div> P O Box 7707</div> <div> Johannesburg </div> <div> 2000                                        </div> <bR> <div> Attention: Ken Haumann</div> <bR> <div> Sent via e-mail to: haumann@pdna.co.za </div> <bR> <div> Re: Eskom Gamma Omega 765kv Transmission Line</div> <bR> <div> With reference to the scoping report the abovementioned was shown to the public by way of a presentation at Morgansvlei on the 24<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Times New Roman" >th</FONT> November, 2008. </div> <bR> <div> The new H.I.A. gives very valuable information on the area concerned, namely Tulbagh, but in general still contains very little information on the disastrous affect the proposed transmission line would have for the Tulbagh area from the entrance of the Nuwekloof Pass to the crossing of the Witzenberg Mountains.</div> <bR> <div> You state on pages 107 to 110 (figure H1 to H4) a detailed location of the heritage sites in the area and further on pages 119, 121, 122 and 124 (figure H13, H15, H16 & H18) and again on pages 157, 159, 160 and 162 (figure J5, J7, J8 and J 10) valuable detail on the transmission line and again on page 181 (figure K1 and K2) a very informative overview but the disastrous impact that the line of pylons, of 45 metres in height, will have on the scenery and culture and the heritage of  Tulbagh and the  beautiful Tulbagh valley is not taken into consideration. The visual impact of the proposed transmission line is not so much that it would be seen from the village or a few heritage points but much more the complete destruction of the valley and its landscape.</div> <bR> <div> The visual impact the pylons give any visitor when approaching the Nuwekloof Pass on the R46 or when approaching from Wolseley will be devastating.</div> <bR> <div> The entire valley will have lost its pristine, natural and aesthetical character and beauty, and that irreparably so. Once this beauty has been destroyed there will be no way of any mitigation to reparation.</div> <bR> <div> The contents of page 181 on its own are sufficiently convincing that the proposed power line should not be built through the Tulbagh Valley. Instead the southern alternative via Wolseley (the existing route) would have a much smaller visual impact than the preferred one (by Eskom) through the Tulbagh Valley. This, so much more, as on this alternative, two 400kv lines are already in existence and the visual impact of these two lines is already present. </div> <bR> <div> The argument that veld fires would endanger the three lines and high winds at the crossing over the Witzeberg Mountains would hamper necessary repairs and maintenance works are not convincing.</div> <div> How is it that fires and wind do not affect the existing line so perhaps it could be explained why this would be the case with the new line. In addition, the existing structures are already reached by maintenance servitudes and very little additional infrastructure and servitudes would need to be put in place.</div> <bR> <div> <U>Tourism and Economy</U></div> <bR> <div> It is apparent that no thought or consideration was given to the town of Tulbagh as far as its tourism industry and economy are concerned. By placing the proposed power line on the preferred route, Tulbagh and its residents would suffer irreparable loss especially when taking into account that Tulbagh is dependent, heavily, on income produced by tourists. Tulbagh has no large industry to carry the town, and property values will be adversely affected by any reduction in tourism.</div> <bR> <div> <U>Development and growth of Tulbagh</U></div> <bR> <div> It is by now a well known fact that developers have been given the go ahead <U>to</U> develop a golf estate and a lifestyle village to the south of Tulbagh. In addition to that there is another small development known as the “Digby” development. All three of these developments would be directly affected by such a power line passing so close and in fact through the golf estate.</div> <div> In fact, the developers of the golf estate would not continue with such plans if this power line were to continue on its preferred route. Furthermore, I wish to point out that there is no room for development of Tulbagh to the north, east or west of the town as all these areas are occupied by long established export quality fruit farms. This leaves us only the southern areas for the town to develop. In addition, should these developments not take place numerous possible job opportunities would be lost and for Tulbagh that would be disastrous as our labour force is of a seasonal nature and we already have an unemployment situation of close to 50%. So it can be seen that development is the only answer for Tulbagh and its residents.</div> <bR> <div> <U>Visual Impact Models</U></div> <bR> <div> Although it has been requested on numerous occasions for us to have some indication as to what this power line would look like, either in the form of an artist's impression or computer generated images, we have had no reaction from Eskom or the consultants. This has lead a group of people fromTulbagh to produce our own images with the assistance of programs such as Google Earth which are available to us. How is it then that Eskom has either not been able or unwilling to provide us with such visual information? Should you wish to see our projections they are available. No doubt Eskom will challenge the authenticity of these pictures which would then put the ball in their court to provide us with the correct information. Furthermore, although this information has been requested, Eskom has provided no indication of the placement and positioning of pylons for this power line. Therefore no one along the entire length of this power line has any idea of what  this would look like and the visual impact it would have.</div> <bR> <div> <U>Further Investigation</U></div> <bR> <div> Whilst browsing through the information contained on the compact discs that were handed out at the presentation at Morgansvlei on the 24<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Times New Roman" >th</FONT> November, 2008, we notice the words “FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED” on many of the points raised throughout this study. It can therefore only be assumed that either Eskom has not done their homework or they are using this excuse to ride roughshod over the public by keeping them in the dark. We must then assume that the study has not been properly done and does not meet the legal requirements and the Record of Decision issued in 2006 was obtained fraudulently and it should therefore be set aside until ALL these  “Further Investigations” have been properly researched.</div> <bR> <div> <U>Conclusion</U></div> <bR> <div> Although several requests from various affected parties to extend the deadline from the 12<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Times New Roman" >th</FONT> January to the 30<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Times New Roman" >th</FONT> January, 2009  we have had no success in this matter. The reason for requesting this extension is that this has come upon us during the holiday season at which time the consultants and attorneys have all been on leave and we have therefore not been able to contact certain people when it was necessary.</div> <bR> <div> The above list of objections and appeals is by no means complete and we are entering the above under duress merely to make our voice heard on behalf of the ratepayers of Tulbagh and this must not be considered the final list of objections in this matter. Several of our residents are still on leave and on their return we reserve the right that they too may enter their appeals on their return. Further correspondence in this matter shall therefore be forthcoming.</div> <bR> <div> Yours faithfully</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Niçl de Jager</div> <div> Chairman</div> <div> T.R.I.F. </div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width=28 style=" border-top: 1px solid #0066CC; border-left: 1px solid #0066CC;border-right: 1px solid #0066CC; border-bottom: 1px solid #0066CC;" BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>