Construction work on the cliffs around Cristo Rei could lead to landslides, according to Member of Parliament Estanislau da Silva.
Da Silva said land surrounding the landmark had been declared a protected zone as any earthworks could destabilize the land, compromising the area’s biodiversity and causing landslides and erosion in the wet season.
“Nowadays we see many homes there; the government should look at any businesses there,” he said.
He called on the government to clarify what was meant by the term protected zone.
Secretary of State for Environment Nominando Soares Martins said environmental permissions had not been granted to the companies undertaking the development as the documents had not been submitted for consideration.
Martins said protection zone status did not necessarily mean an area would not be developed, as such developments could provide important tax revenue to the state.
However, companies wishing to develop protected areas would be required to conduct environmental impact studies on the likely effects their developments might have.
“We haven’t processed the documents relating to the environmental permissions because the documents haven’t been submitted,” Martins said.
He said it was the responsibility of the State Secretariat for Land and Property to grant development applications.
