Concern over dust issue

FAMILIES living along Duilomaloma Rd in Waila, Nausori, claim the dust emanating from the unsealed road used by trucking companies contracted for road construction is causing health issues to their children.

Mundrika Prasad, who has lived with his family along that road for the past 15 years, said the dust issue began 10 years ago.

“The issue started right after road construction trucks started using it to get soap stones from the end of the road at the top,” Mr Prasad explained.

“But the good thing about China Railway was that they always spray the roads with water so that dust don’t fly into our homes.

“The issue really started when the private contractors came with their trucks to dig soap stones.”

He said the contractors did not spray the roads to settle the dust, nor did they slow down when driving past their homes.

“They drive past real fast and the dust come flying into our compounds and our homes.

“Some of our children have developed skin diseases because of the dust, we had to take them to the hospital.

“When it’s sunny we cannot sun out our clothes or belongings because of the dust, we had to put up greenhouse netting to at least keep some dust away.”

Mr Prasad claimed they had raised the issue with relevant authorities but so far nothing had been done.

“A minister had came here about two months ago and we had raised the issue with her.

“She said she would take the issue up to Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) but so far we have received no update.

“All the residents here had also signed a petition which was taken to FRA but we haven’t seen any work on this.”

“It would be good if they could tarseal the road and construct humps so that trucks would slow down when driving down the hill other wise accidents might happen.

The petition was signed by 126 residents living along the road.

Questions sent to FRA remain unanwered.