The Regional Directorate of the Ministry of the Environment (Mi AMBIENTE) in the Ngäbe Buglé region reports that, after speaking with the Mayor’s Office of Nole Duima, it ordered the company TRANSEQ, SA, to temporarily suspend the extraction of gravel material from the upper river bed. San Félix River in the community of Sabanita, district of Susama district of Nole Duima, border area between the Ngäbe Buglé Region and the province of Chiriquí.
An inspection carried out on the site by MiAMBIENTE technicians confirmed that stones and gravel were being extracted and in addition, a stone crushing plant remains operational near the area which, according to those present at the inspection, are used for the development of two construction projects. road improvement in different communities located between Chiriquí and the regional area.
During the investigation, the presence of machinery, company personnel and the extraction of stone material from the bed of the San Félix River was confirmed, an action that causes high turbulence in the water that supplies the San Félix water treatment plant further down, for which The liquid is reaching the population cloudy. Likewise, when asked for the documents and permits required to carry out the extraction work, those in charge of the company on site could not show them, however, they reported that they had been authorized by the current mayor of the Nole Duima district for the extraction. of gravel.
Another element that MiAMBIENTE technicians observed is the presence, in a place near the river, of a stone crushing plant that is carrying out this work, generating noise, dust and smoke that comes out of the machine and which worries the residents.
The director of Mi AMBIENTE regional Valerio Gómez announced that after the inspection he met with the municipal and traditional authorities, the regional director of the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) and a representative of the company, who were guided on the need to comply with all the necessary administrative procedures, as well as have the corresponding permits from the competent entities, in this case the Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI), the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) and My ENVIRONMENT before starting work of this nature.
As a result of this situation, the mayor of Nole Duima, Hipólito Jiménez, who granted the permit, requested the company TRANSEQ, SA, to temporarily stop the work until a next meeting is held to determine responsibilities. “We do not want to affect the development of road projects in the area, but the company must comply with a series of steps to be able to move forward and this implies not affecting the tributary or the quality of the water consumed by the residents of the area and San Félix in Chiriquí,” said Gómez.
