The Kenya Railways Corporation should relocate the boreholes at Kenya Meat Training Institute in Athi River town before they are demolished, the institution’s Principal James Karitu has said.
Karitu said the two boreholes which are on the Standard Gauge Railway’s line under construction, had been earmarked for demolished to pave way for the project.
He said as an institution, they are worried because the SGR contractor, China Road and Bridges Corporation, was already working at the site where the two boreholes are located, and are just about to destroy them before relocation.
Karitu said they were concerned since the facilities are the only water sources for both the Kenya Meat Training Institute and Kenya Meat Commission.
“Though the boreholes belong to the Kenya Meat Commission, they are located on part of the institute’s land which was acquired by the National Land Commission for the construction of the SGR project,” said Karitu.
He said they are worried that the contractors are already working next to the boreholes though they have not been moved away from the SGR line.
Karitu claimed the Kenya Railways Corporation has remained mum on the facilities' relocation even though it had been issued with more than Sh4 million to relocate them into the institute’s compound to pave way for the project.
“Kenya Railways has taken too long to abide by a Relocation Action Plan signed between them, China Road and Bridges Corporation, National Lands Commission and Kenya Meat Training Institute on April 8, 2015,” said Karitu.
He said according to the plan, KR was to relocate the boreholes, affected staff houses, build a masonry for the entire institute, two water harvesting plants and four classrooms before the SGR passes on the institute’s land.
He said Kenya Railways had done nothing even though the project was almost complete in the area.
“China Road and Bridges Corporation should not touch the bore holes until they are relocated since we do not have any other sources of water,” said Karitu.
Karitu said operations in Kenya Meat Commission and Kenya Meat Training Institute will completely be paralyzed if the bore holes are destroyed before relocation.
He said the SGR construction had exposed the institution to great insecurity after its fence was brought down leaving it open.
“We want the bore holes relocated and the fence brought down by the contractor replaced as soon as possible because we cannot do without water,” said Karitu.
Karitu who addressed the press in his office in Athi River town on Wednesday said the institute relies on water from the boreholes for domestic, farming, livestock and general use.