like a “real estate assault” rated the botanical biologist Ángela Guerrero the tree fellingthe soil removal and the filling of ravines in it Holy Hill of La Vega.
The environmental defender recalled that the Holy Hill is not part of the National System of Protected Areasbut suggested that it should be declared by the La Vega Mayor’s Office as municipal protected area to “avoid another disaster like the one that occurred.”
“Apparently, it is another assault by the real estate developers for grabbing every piece of developable land to force the real estate border. Let us remember the cases in Samana, Moncion and maoreported last year,” he declared.
In conversation with The NationalGuerrero similarly pointed out the complaints that government authorities would be behind real estate development in the so-called Greater Santo Domingo Green Belt.
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“It is obvious that there is a need to strengthen the cadastral law and the regime of consequences of the Environmental Law 64-00because what they are doing is: first I destroy and then I pay,” commented the specialist.
He regretted that, after environmental damagethere is no mitigation neither ecosystem restorationand accused Ministry of Environment to benefit from the fines paid.
The biologist recalled that the Holy Hill It is a heritage place of high historical and religious value.
“Precisely because it was respected by the vegan community, it became a natural environment favorable to biodiversity. It is a place of pilgrimage of Catholic parishioners to the sanctuary dedicated at its summit to the Virgin of Mercedes”, commented the botanist.
Complaints
Environmental organizations have denounced the indiscriminate felling of trees on site with the aim of building real estate projectsspecifically villas, summer houses and apartments.
Parties criticize
He Dominican Liberation Party (PLD)through its provincial president, Bolivar Martequestioned what he described as the “silence of the legislators and the local Mayor’s Office” in allowing the tree clearing in the area.
Mars defined the situation as “devastation” of a ecological lung.
At a press conference this week, through his Environment Secretariatthe Power of the People He pointed out that the ministry of the portfolio has lost the “mystique and authority,” which makes it easier for individuals and companies to ignore the environmental laws.
Holy Hill
Every September 24, the Holy Hill becomes the epicenter of faith in Dominican Republic. Thousands of people from all over the country climb the hill, some on their knees or carrying crosses, to keep promises or ask favors of the Virgin of Mercedes.
It is the manifestation of popular religiosity oldest and busiest in the nation. From the top, about 600 meters above sea levelyou can see one of the most spectacular views of the Cibao Valley. In the complex there are also the Santo Cerro Natural Park and the Monument to Lightwhich highlight the spiritual importance of the place while preserving the natural environment.
