Residents in Villa Gonzalez in Santiago protested on Monday, 4 February 2019 the exploitation of the gravel mine in Loma El Boquerón, near the Pico Diego de Ocampo protected area. They call for the intervention of the Ministry of Environment. They blame the construction company, Constructora Mar that reportedly has a permit issued by the Ministry of Environment. The community members say this permit is illegal as it was not approved by the Villa Gonzalez city government councilors.
The community members say the mining of construction material is affecting the Pico Diego de Ocampo, and the health of the population. Dozens of large trucks lift much dust that affects the tobacco crops in the municipality (over 9,000 tareas or 5.6 million square meters). The dust also affects the health of the population. The community members have placed a complaint in court seeking a desist order for the mining operations.
Meanwhile, the Las Lagunas ecology group, also of the municipality of Villa González denounces that hundreds of square km in forest land to the south of the Cordillera Septentrional in areas adjacent to the Villa Tabacalera are being cleared to plant tobacco. Haitian nationals are in the area producing charcoal, says Andres Julio Pichardo, of the Las Lagunas organization. He said the Haitians have the complicity of Dominicans who purchase and sell the mahogany clandestinely cut in the Palmar Abajo area. The wood is toppled in the outskirts of the Pico Diego de Ocampo protected area by the slash and burn method, causing erosion of the soil.
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Telesistema
Listin Diario
6 February 2019
