Government launches awareness and capacity-building initiative on Land Drainage Master Plan

“The Land Drainage Master Plan must not remain in the hands of engineers and policy makers alone; for it to succeed it must be understood, embraced and acted upon by every citizen.”

This was the gist of the speech of the Minister of National Infrastructure, Mr Govindranath Gunness, at the launching ceremony of the ‘Vulgarisation of the Land Drainage Master Plan and Capacity-Building on the Sponge City Concept’, this morning, at the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre in Bell Village.

The Chargé d’Affaires at the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Mario Vitos; the Director of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) for Mauritius and Seychelles, Ms Laëtitia Habchi; the Director of the Land Drainage Authority, Mr Rishi Hauzaree; and other personalities were present at the event.

The Land Drainage Master Plan was commissioned by the Land Drainage Authority with financial and technical assistance from the AFD under the Adapt’Action programme, which supports countries seeking technical assistance for the institutional, methodological and operational implementation of their commitments to address the effects of climate change. This support is provided through vulnerability and feasibility studies, guidance in the preparation of national policies and action plans, as well as capacity-building initiatives.

The Master Plan therefore aims, among others, to reduce the vulnerability of communities and critical infrastructure to increasing flood risks arising from climate change through an integrated and strategic approach to the management of drainage networks across Mauritius.

In his address, the Minister recalled that the Land Drainage Master Plan is one of the most important strategies the nation has ever adopted to protect lives, homes, and livelihoods from the grave risks of floods and climate change.

The Masterplan, which integrates nature-based solutions under the sponge city concept, places strong emphasis on preserving wetlands, vegetations and natural drainage corridors, and calls for retention ponds, green infrastructure and permeable surfaces that allow water to infiltrate the soil. These measures reduce flood risks, replenish groundwater and enhance biodiversity. In this regard, Mr Gunness reiterated that Government would continue to champion the Land Drainage Master Plan as the cornerstone of its climate resilience strategy.

The Minister also explained that flooding results from a combination of factors, including climate change, changes in the landscape, urbanisation, planning decisions, infrastructure, land use and, more broadly, the way the territory is developed.

Mr Gunness was of the view that, while greater cooperation is required among institutions, local authorities, universities, the private sector and the public, the Land Drainage Authority has an important role to play in fostering dialogue among stakeholders and helping to build a shared vision for flood risk management. He stressed the need for architects, engineers and planners to be trained in designing hybrid systems that combine conventional infrastructure with nature-based solutions, while emphasising that progress must be carefully monitored through science and data to inform future action.

According to him, the successful implementation of the Land Drainage Master Plan requires strong governance, long-term investment and active community participation. He maintained that its success depends on public understanding and its effective application by professionals. “Vulgarisation empowers the public, while adherence to the guidelines ensures technical excellence,” he stressed.

Both the EU Chargé d’Affaires and the Director of AFD for Mauritius and Seychelles stated that the vulgarisation of the Land Drainage Master Plan represents yet another step in supporting Mauritius in its efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its impacts through nature-based solutions. Mr Vitos and Ms Habchi also highlighted the sponge city concept, which focuses on absorbing, storing and reusing rainwater rather than merely disposing of it.

07 July 2026

Email: gis@govmu.org

Website: https://gis.govmu.org

Mobile App: GIS News

Topics: Environment, Infrastructure