A giant Central Australian horticulture project will get to keep the biggest water license granted in the Northern Territory. Fortune Agribusiness intends to build a 3500-hectare irrigated fruit and vegetable farm at Singleton cattle station, north of Alice Springs. As it was awarded a license to extract 40 billion litres of underground water annually for 30 years, this caused concern among Indigenous groups and environmentalists. The decision also triggered an independent review of the license, with the panel finding the decision to grant it was largely correct. However, the review has suggested some additional licensing conditions.
This means the original water extraction license has been cancelled and a new substituted license has been supplied detailing "improved and additional conditions". These include a detailed assessment of the water resources on Singleton Station and a cultural values impact assessment.
Source: busseltonmail.com.au
Photo source: Dreamstime.com
