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Conrad Mupesa Mashonaland West Bureau
A contractor working on the construction and tarring of a Chinhoyi road under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Program Phase -2 (ERRP2), will compensate families whose houses have been affected by the Monday morning blast.
The blasts were meant to disintegrate a large boulder of a granite stone that had stalled road construction, delaying the exercise in line with Second Republic’s Vision 2030.
Tarcon Pvt Ltd, which won the tender to work on the roads in the town under ERRP2, had initially failed to disintegrate the rock using other means before sub-contracting a local company for blasting solutions.
It has, however, started replacing windows and roof sheets that were damaged by the impact of the vibration and fragmented pieces of the rock that were strewn around some few houses from the blasts site as per the 72-hour- ultimatum given by the residents.
Aggrieved residents of at least 10 houses have also been advised to approach the company for assessments with Mr Clifford Munava whose house was destroyed now waiting for the company’s involvement.
The company’s site manager, engineer Kudakwashe Ngogondo said although it was regrettable that some houses were destroyed in the blasts, the exercise was done diligently and successfully considering the size of the rock.
However, residents are blaming the company and Chinhoyi Municipality for not informing them of the scheduled blasting exercise which was life threatening to hypertensive residents.
They say the chemicals from the blast were going to contaminate groundwater sources, which residents now use following the dismal failure by the opposition-led council to provide uninterrupted potable water.
Online Reporter