Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION Ayurvedic Resorts and Spa Ltd, hereinafter referred to as the proponent and/or project promoter, is a privately incorporated company in Mauritius and is willing to set up an Ayurveda sanctuary on a premises at Palmar. The venture has been made possible with the availability of a state land put at the disposal of the promoter. The site where this project would be carried out is located on the pristine East coast of Mauritius as shown in Figure 1. The site for the undertaking is made up of a single portion of land as evidenced in the attached Letter of Reservation and site plan. The proponent has caused the preparation of a Master Development Plan for the whole property covering an area of about 29A65p and as shown in Figure 2. Upon completion of the Master Plan this project would yield an aggregate of 129 residential units in the form of villas and suites besides a restaurant, a commercial outlet, Spa centre and common swimming pools and leisure amenities. The complete project defined under the Master Plan would be executed as a single entity. The project has been designed in a holistic manner taking into consideration the site conditions, site constraints and opportunities. In order to execute this project in Mauritius the proponent has to comply with the planning guidelines prepared for that type of development on coastal region. The project promoter has already set up a company in September 2006. The company driving the undertaking is the Ayurvedic Resorts and Spa Ltd and is also referred to as the proponent or project promoter. A copy of the Certificate of incorporation of the company is enclosed at the end of this section as Figure 3. The land on which the Master Plan project would be sited is a State Land that has been put at the disposal of the promoter for the specific purpose of implementing the proposed undertaking. A copy of the letter of reservation and supporting documents are enclosed in this report as Annex I. The promoter has already made a cash deposit as required in the Letter of Reservation thus confirming its firm intention to pursue with the project. The site where the undertaking would be implemented has the following features:- It is located at Palmar and forms part of the grazing ground of the Extension Services of the Ministry of Agro Industry. It has a wide public beach on the opposite side of the coastal road It has a wetland on its lowest side and located adjacent to the B59 road No standing water was seen during the site visit 12
The wetland is covered with grass (chiendent bourique) and cat-tails The site has a vegetation cover and bush that have no agricultural value The site does not have any places of interest near or on it In order to give out a project design of high standard and conducive with the local environment, the project proponent has secured the services of an architect and master planner who has transcribed the promoter s vision into reality. The proponent has also sought the services of local specialists and professionals to complement the efforts in the project realization. The Architects and Engineers appointed for the project have prepared the designs, plans and drawings for this development under the guidance of the Master Planner. The specifications for the designs give a lot of leeway to the Mauritian art of living and culture and would promote materials found locally such as concrete, wood, shingles, corrugated iron sheet and basalt stones. Moreover, they fully integrate the realms of the climate and weather conditions such that they would be safe, robust and comfortable for their occupants. The basic concept of the development is centered on a green décor and lush vegetation and promoting at the same time an outer green space for the residents recreation. This space would also allow them to initiate to some jogging, walking and other leisure related activities. The architectural layouts and artistic impressions for the proposed development are shown in Annex II. Hotel ventures similar to the one proposed are gradually becoming familiar owing to the appropriate business atmosphere for that type of project. The Government of Mauritius, through the Ministry of Tourism has prepared a set of guidelines that would facilitate potential developers and owners in dealing with such type of projects. Government is also encouraging the potential investors to explore niche markets and bring innovative products, such as the present one, in order to demarcate from the traditional tourist market. This effort is complemented by the Marketing Unit set up by promoter to attract and sell this new concept in the international fairs. The time for this investment is ideal for two main reasons namely; a sinking trend from the private investment and low bank savings rate worldwide. The proponent has already initiated actions by presenting the project to some potential owners. The promoter would embark on its implementation as soon as the relevant permits and licenses have been obtained. The proposed project is intended for foreigners as well as to local residents. The proposed development would be sited near a coastal belt and within 1km of the High Water Mark (HWM) and would be a hotel resort and therefore an environment impact assessment (EIA) has to be carried out. Moreover the landlord has requested the promoter to submit an EIA as part of his obligations under the Letter of Reservation. The purpose of the EIA is to identify the potential impacts that would arise out of its implementation and propose mitigating measures to offset the adverse 13
impacts. This report has been prepared according to the guidelines set by the Department of Environment under the Environment Protection Act 2006 and World Bank guidelines for such type of developments. Proper references have also been made to the PPG, environmental handbooks and case studies, EIA reports for similar projects in the vicinity and documents for similar projects. This EIA report reflects an integrated assessment that includes an evaluation of the benefits, potential environmental risks and hazards that could be generated from the project and the proposed mitigating measures to be implemented. Like all hotel resorts it is clear that the proposed undertaking is not a polluting activity that requires strict and exhaustive mitigating measures. Although the carrying out of an economic risk assessment is beyond the scope of this report, the business model demonstrates that this project will yield positive business benefits. The scenario of dismantling the project would not give rise to any objectionable impacts as most of the materials could be recovered and utilized again. It would resemble normal refurbishment works carried out by any hotels. The proponent would also set up an Environmental Monitoring Plan that provides the guideline for monitoring at the various stages of the project implementation and at operational stage. It is expected that the proponent adheres to the EMP and the Administrative body managing the property would appoint a body or agency to carry out this specific assignment. All the indicators therefore show that this project has all the merits required for its implementation. 14
Figure 1 Site Location Plan 15
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Figure 2 Master Plan for Project 17
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Figure 3 Copy Certificate of Incorporation 19