Green Alert on EDC contamination: Take it seriously
BACOLOD CITY -- Green Alert Negros (GAN) was upset after knowing that the farmers in Sitio Gayas, Minoyan, Murcia is not taking the issue of contamination seriously but rather disputed GAN's statement that it only damaged 3 hectares which they deem as very minimal.
"This is a sad turn of events. When we went to the area during our fact finding visit as an urgent response to the complaints of some farmers we were informed that the total area affected was about 20 hectares and the stunted growth is due to the water contamination and not because it lacks fertilizers," said Mark Cervantes of GAN.
GAN, however, stood on its findings that what happened in Sitio Gayas was because of contamination. GAN also asserts that the said contamination has been going on since 2001. Frances Ariola of EDC initially confirmed that EDC had a minor operational setback that has already been addressed.
"We will not argue with the statement of the farmers association. Although we don't believe on their claims since we know that EDC has been helping them on a lot of things. We just hope that someday, they would be awaken to see the truth. We are not exaggerating!" Cervantes added.
GAN will also be submitting water and soil samples that they took during the fact finding mission to Iloilo for testing.
GAN is urging also the newly appointed PENRO Jesie Vego to be impartial and responsible specially on the issues involving the controversial geothermal project of the Energy Development Corporation in Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park. Vego replaced Livino Duran as PENRO last week. The former was under fire among Mt. Kanlaon defenders for his role as spokesperson and staunch defender of EDC on their geothermal project inside Mt. Kanlaon.
"We hope that the new PENRO will be more responsible and impartial particularly on the geothermal issue. We hope that he will look at the issues we are throwing against the project like the water contamination in Sitio Gayas, Minoyan that the previous PENRO did not bother to look at. We challenge his leadership and we will be watching him on it," Cervantes said.