Residents of Dolega Reject Establishment of a Quarry

[Keith Woolford]

Residents of Dolega Reject Establishment of a Quarry

A group of residents of the communities of Cochea, Dos Rios, and El Higo, in the district of Dolega, province of Chiriquí, closed for several minutes the bridge over the river Cochea, to express their rejection of the establishment of a quarry on the banks of this tributary, due to the degree of prejudice that the quarry would bring to them, the environment and the agricultural sector of these communities.

Residents stated that for months now they have been requesting the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MITI), as well as the Ministry of the Environment (MiAmbiente), to respond to requests that have been made in the absence of operating permits, but have had no response.

They said that the establishment of the quarry, endanger tens of houses that are located on the banks of the river, because in the absence of protection on the slopes, the river will be pushed out of the channel and the sweep.

"The community aqueduct, agricultural crops, small farmers, all depend on this river, in addition that once in operations the health of inhabitants will be affected," said Ernesto Cubilla, of the Colibri Ecological Association.

For his part, Luis Antonio Pitti, spokesperson for the community, said that the residents of the affected villages have already met and have made it clear that they are not going to allow the quarry to be installed.

http://www.tvn-2.com/nacionales/Residentes-Dolega-rechazan-instalacion-cantera_0_4578292189.html