August 15, 2024, 6:00 AM
August 15, 2024, 6:00 AM
With the participation of more collegiate bodies, councilors, and activists than on previous occasions, an inspection of the Ecological Belt was carried out yesterday morning, convened by the president of the Municipal Legislature, Silvana Mucarzel.
The presence of representatives of the Colleges of Surveyors, Environmental Engineers, the Bolivian Society of Engineers (SIB), the Planning and Environment Secretariats, as well as councillors from UCS, the Autonomous Community (CA) and the MAS was noted.
Initially, a visit was planned to five vulnerable points within the Belt, including the Piraí finale, the Ambrosio Villarroel neighborhood, Cabañas del Piraí, Radial 26 and Canal Isuto.
However, when the convoy was expected at Isuto, which was the last stop and the only place where gendarmes were taken to prevent contingencies, they decided to head to Radial 26.
The councillors present assured that in a subsequent inspection they will visit that part of the Cordón, where EL DEBER revealed that there is already a planimetry for an urbanisation on 11 hectares.
It is at this point that the SIB also found that the river bed used to be located, and that it currently has topographic records and ownership rights.
“A technical, legal and environmental audit will show us, as one of the actions that must come out of the technical table, that those who are not the owners of the strip are the most eager to destroy it,” said CA councillor Federico Morón.
He also congratulated the Council President, civil society institutions and professional associations that responded to the call, and asked them not to abandon this cause.
“If we do not have the strength of civil society, the Legislative Body and the professional associations, this will not advance. This is a great step that cannot be left as another inspection, or as a bill because there are already 23 laws that defend the Cordón. What is needed is political will,” said Morón, admitting that the Isuto and El Bajío points were not visited.
Daniela Justiniano, from the organization Alas Chiquitanas, warned that there are only four months left until the rainy season and asked the Council to work in a coordinated manner, regardless of political color, “because water does not know about that.” She also warned that there is no plan to evacuate people in the event of a new storm.
Juan Manuel Anthony Mercado, from Searpi, also stressed the urgency of a management plan for the belt. However, the Executive announced that the management plan has already been awarded to a Bolivian company.
New construction in the Curichi La Madre area and micro-dumps, as well as a new road and other damage were noted.
Searpi regretted that there have been reports on the problem of garbage dumps since 2008, with their respective updates, and that to date the Municipal Executive has not applied a fundamental solution.
Searpi announced that there are already approved works for the Cordón, with a budget from the Governorate.
Bolivian Society of Engineers
The SIB reminded the residents of Cordón, who refuse to abandon the area, that any disaster will mean money for all the people of Santa Cruz.
