Municipality letter to Eskom

<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> Municipality letter to Eskom</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> <A HREF="local_news.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tulbagh News Page 2"><U>Back to Local News</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>The Municiplity has come out strongly against the proposed Eskom Power Line!  This event has been welcomed by the Tulbagh Powerline Action Committee. The text of their letter is as follows;</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>PROPOSED 765 kV LINE</B></div> <bR> <div> The Executive Mayoral Committee of my Council has taken note with concern that the final route as authorised for the abovementioned line project shall deviate from the existing route on which ESKOM lines shall cross over the Witzenberg area whilst my Council specifically objected against such deviation.  My Council also submitted an official objection and was landed with Messrs. Acer Africa whom you appointed as consultants to undertake an impact study of the proposed electrical line.</div> <bR> <div> You may be aware of the fact that an action committee has been established in the Tulbagh area objecting against the construction of the line and my Council has decided to support the views of the action committee.  My Council wish to reconfirm its previous decision, namely that the proposed new line should be taken along the existing 400 kV line or alternatively the “alternate southern route” as per the impact study.</div> <bR> <div> My Council's objections are based on the following:</div> <bR> <div> (i)     The route south of the Gydo Pass shall cross the municipal commonage.  According to the local structural plans, the land is earmarked for future industrial, single residential housing and a nature area.  The transmission line with accompanying servitude shall fragment these areas which in itself will disrupt the development and shall result in additional costs such as infrastructure as an example.</div> <bR> <div> (ii)     The route over Hugo's Mountain in the westerly direction also crosses the Skurweberg Mountain Range before leading into the Witzenberg valley.  Two fairly high mountain ranges will therefore have to be crossed between Prince Alfred's Hamlet and the Agter Witzenberg Valley which proves to be impractical and not cost-effective.</div> <bR> <div> (iii)     The height and width of the power lines proves to be enormous and shall have an enormous impact on the Witzenberg area in general, however, also more specific the areas such as Gydo Pass and Tulbagh area.</div> <bR> <div> (iv)     The planned route shall also have an enormous impact on the golf resort development and the intensive wine lands reform project presently planned on the farm Zachte Valley/Schalkenbosch in the Tulbagh area.</div> <bR> <div> The Executive Mayoral Committee of my Council also resolved that legal steps be planned should you proceed with the construction of the power line as now made known.  An urgent appeal is made to you to reconsider your decision for the deviation and to liaise with my Executive Mayoral Committee as a matter of urgency.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="236" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#A6CAF0 HEIGHT= 39 WIDTH="230"><div> <A HREF="power_line_news.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cape Strengthening Project"><B><U>Back to Cape Strengthening Project page</U></B></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <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>