THE Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) has granted a 33-year leasing contract to strategic investor-Ngorongoro Serena Hotels citing environment conservation as the key aspect that has attracted the authority to reach such a decision.

Elirehema Doriye, NCAA Conservation Commissioner said in a statement yesterday that the authority has reached a decision of renewing the investor’s leasing agreement after satisfying itself on measures that are being initiated by the investor for environment conservation.

He asserted that in conserving the environment, the investor has succeeded in building a power substation with a capacity of receiving 500 kilovolt from the Tanzania Electric Company Limited (TANESCO) for the investor's hotel consumption.

He said the investor approached the NCAA to seek authorization to connect electricity to the hotel, to reduce pollution caused by diesel generators and protect the environment.

Doriye said this is the second leasing agreement the authority has entered with the investor after the first one ended last year.

He commended the investor for continuing to strengthen the tourism service and attract tourists to stay in the country for a long time.

"For the entire period of the first lease agreement, the investor was using the electricity produced by the generator. Using electricity guarantees environmental conservation," he said.

Legwainani of the Ngorongoro Maasai community, Mbanot Tipilit, said the investor has been active in participating in improving health and education services through corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects.

Ashish Sharma, the company's Chief Executive Officer said the hotel’s operations adhere to economic development vision while impacting environment conservation.

“We have been spending almost 100mn/- a month in petrol for running the generator. With electricity connection from TANESCO we will be spending a maximum of 30mn/- a month,” said Sharma.

In Tanzania, he said, the company has 716 employees and three expatriates from East Africa.

“Over the past 30 years, we have not breached any term of the lease. Our contribution was the highest to the NCAA. The Serena brand and standards is seen as the model for excellence,” he said.

The company has appointed Electrical Power Solutions LTD to install electrical connection through a project worth 1.6bn/- ($630,000).

“The reliance generators have now come to its end as people will be connected to the national grid. These activities are not only about improving the infrastructure but completing our mission in environmental conservation,” he said.

Sharma said the company will continue setting high standards for sustainable tourism and improve tourism-related services.

The company had during the past eleven years injected $836million in the East African region economy.