An official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources ordered the immediate cancellation of the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) issued to different sand and gravel concessionaires operating along the Iponan River.
Regional Executive Director Ruth M. Tawantawan ordered the cancellation after Sulog, a civil society group in Cagayan de Oro City, had a dialogue with DENR officials Wednesday on stoppinf illegal mining in Iponan River.
Sulog presented visual evidences, showing allegedly foreign-owned private barges, mining gold in the river, instead of dredging activities indicated in their permits.
The photos also revealed that instead of widening the river channel, the barges were actually throwing back the soil into the river, shortening further the width of the river banks.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau 10 confirmed the practices and stopped operation of barges that failed to present documents during inspection in the area.
Sulog said the unabated mining in the area has now affected farmlands near the riverbanks, bringing heavily silted water during tropical storm Sendong.
Tawantawan asked MGB Chief Rex S. Monsanto to investigate the case further saying that the city is at a very fragile state having been devastated by tropical storm Sendong last year.
[mappress]
Source: pia.gov, November 6, 2012