Alianza Pais deputy Fidelio Despradel is working with other members in the Chamber of Deputies to pass a resolution to be sent to President Danilo Medina that declares the boundary areas of the Yaque del Sur, El Valle and Enriquillo regions in the southwest off limits for metallic mining exploitation. Despradel argues that the area already suffers from acute water shortages.
With his proposal, the national deputy intends to prevent the Dominican government from granting mining permits to companies such as GoldQuest, that have requested permission to extract gold in the area. Despradel says the access to water in the area is barely sufficient for agricultural production. He observes that despite its completion in 2004, the Multiple Aqueduct of the Southwest is not in operation because of the critical levels of rainfall in the region.
Despradel said that the priority of political policies in the river basis needs to be to protect the water sources and land use regulation needs to exclude economic activities that threaten the water resource. He said metallic mining is a threat to land and water resources because of the large amount of water needed and the contamination associated with mining that can pollute both streams and aquifers.
Despradel stressed that the valley of San Juan de la Maguana is a major producer of farm products consumed by the Dominicans. For example, he said the valley produces a large percent of the agricultural products grown in the country, including 50% of the beans, 40% of the sweet potatoes, 35% of the corn, 6% of the rice, 35% of the pigeon peas and 80% of the pigeon pea seeds, 20% of onions, 84% of peanuts, 20% of eggplants, as well as other fruits and vegetables both for local consumption as well as export.
The region of El Valle is made up by the provinces of Azua, San Juan and Elías Piña, while Enriquillo is made up by the provinces of Barahona, Bahoruco, Independencia and Pedernales. All of these provinces are suffering from water shortages for domestic, farm and hydroelectric uses.
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7 Dias
23 June 2017
