SALALAH -- With a view to streamlining commercial activities in mining sector in whole of the Dhofar Governorate, the authorities here have decided to come out with strict guidelines to ensure general safety, security and protecting the environment from pollution.
In an interview with the Oman Observer, a senior official of the Office of the Minister of State and Governor of Dhofar, said the proposed guidelines have provisions also to promote the local communities to set up community companies according to the needs and requirements of the local people.
Ahmed Ali Abdullah al Amri, Adviser Technical Affairs, termed the guidelines an important step in managing Dhofar's multi-dimensional commercial activities and said: "Large scale developments are going on in the mining sector in Dhofar. Mining has huge potential in Salalah and it is important to regulate them as many companies have shown interest in setting up factories here."
"As a first step, the distance limit of factories from accommodation areas has been doubled from 1.5km to 3km. Companies have to build asphalt road from the main road to their factory access points and they have to cover the conveyers to check the dust coming out of factories like limestone, gypsum etc," he said.
All the crushers have to abide by the guidelines. This has been done to ensure health safety of the residents and workers involved in the production of all products which emanate dust as a byproduct. This is also necessary to protect trees etc from factory dust, he said.
"All such establishments have to have environment consultants to ensure pollution control and their managers have to be qualified enough to understand the gravity of the situation," said Al Amri and added that a balanced approach has been taken in the interest of all the stakeholders.
As an important community service initiative the companies have to keep five per cent of their profit for the community under the corporate social responsibility to build roads, wells or for other jobs as per the decision of the local municipality committees. The committees would refer the proposal to the Commerce Committee and soon after getting the nod the work would start. "This has been done to involve the municipality committees in decision making and quick service," he said.
Al Amri expressed confidence in the system and said it would make the local committees more responsive and responsible, as there would not be delay in decision making and there would be direct involvement of the community in development at local level.
© Oman Daily Observer 2014
