Calls to scrap water plan

WHILE calls for the plan to be scrapped grow, the Otago Regional Council has extended its submissions period for a controversial freshwater permits plan.

Otago Regional Council chief executive Sarah Gardner has extended the end date for the submission period from April 17 out to May 4 for the Water Permits Plan Change. This extension was decided on despite seven of 11 councillors writing to council chairwoman, Marian Hobbs, calling for the suspension of consultation and the withdrawal of the plan in light of the coming ‘‘severe’’ economic, social and political effects of the Covid19 pandemic.

The letter, drafted by deputy chairman Michael Laws as the Covid19 Alert Level 4 lockdown took hold, said the group believed ‘‘any national or regional recovery will be based upon the agrarian economy and the production of food’’.

Yesterday, Otago Water Users Group chairman Ken Gillespie — along with 28 other rural representatives — sent an open letter to the Ms Hobbs and the other councillors calling on the council to withdraw the plan that would replace expiring water permits with shortterm, interim consents.

However, Otago Southland Forest and Bird regional manager Sue Maturin praised the extension to consultation in these ‘‘difficult times’’, but said she was relieved that the council had not extended the time frame for too long.

‘‘It would be shocking if people start using Covid19 as an excuse to relax protection for the environment,’’ she said.

The Otago Fish and Game Council earlier this week warned against a ‘‘kneejerk reaction’’ to the pandemic.

‘‘Avoiding or delaying basic environmental protection isn’t the answer; it solves one problem by creating another,’’ chief executive Ian Hadland said.