Since April, the Secretary of National Defense (Sedena) has not held meetings with the citizen oversight committee of the Chac estuarywhich has generated uncertainty about the impact of the works of the Maya Trends in this important ecological zone.
The construction of an embankment in the area could affect the plain of more than nine thousand hectares, which usually floods during the rainy season.
The environmental consultant María Luisa Villarreal Sonora has expressed that, although the works are underway, restoration actions cannot yet begin.
“They have been working with a company in charge of the reproduction of wetland species and the reforestation of two key species. They presented us with a complete reforestation program, but it cannot begin until the work finished”, he explained.
Villarreal Sonora assured that the environmental impacts derived from the construction of the embankment are clear, but what is worrying is the compensation of these effects.
“The environmental impact assessment determined that there will be effects, the important thing now is how they will be compensated. We hope that, once the work is finished, we can see the plan of restoration y mitigation in action,” he noted.
NO DATE FOR TERM
However, the completion of the work is still uncertain.to. “We don’t know when it will end. Those of us who pass by there every day realize that there is a lot missing. “Many of us citizens are concerned, especially because of the consequences left by the last rainy season,” he added.
The Estero de Chac, an extensive area of wetlands, is essential for flood control in the area and could affect communities such as Xul-Ha and Huay Pixprone to being under water, which could be worsened since the embankment built by the Maya Trends crosses a natural discharge zone.
“It is a huge flood plain. When it rains and the water comes down from Bacalar, this area is completely flooded. Embankment could block water flowwhich puts at risk the capacity of the estuary to contain and drain into the Hondo River,” explained the consultant.
COMMUNICATION CUT OFF
The citizen committee, together with the Army, had agreed that the key to mitigating the impact would be continuous monitoring of the project. However, since April they have had no new meetings with Sedena.
“Once the work is finished, the excess material must be removed and the entire restoration of the estuary of Chac. Fortunately, we have not had a contingency that forces us to verify the impact hypothesis, but we do not want to reach that point,” he emphasized. Villarreal Sonora.
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2024-09-30 23:55:24