Toco villagers fed up with illegal quarrying

More than 500 villagers of Sahadin Trace off Toco Main Road are contemplating legal action against a quarry owner for what they described as illegal quarrying operations. Villagers complained bitterly that they are affected by the dust, the destruction of their roads, and the sudden death of their pet fishes as a result of the dust. Farmers are now forced to abandon their lands because the river has been blocked causing them to be deprived of a steady flow of water to their lands.

Children in the area have been hospitalised repeatedly and they continue to fall ill as a result of the dust. Councillor for the area Carl Quamina yesterday got a first hand look at the quarrying operations and had a discussion with  the quarry operator. Newsday learnt that the Oropouche River has been blocked and this has led to massive flooding. Quamina said he has been  assured  that repairs to the damaged roads will be put in place shortly and an 18-inch pipe will be installed in the river to have proper water run off.

The councillor told Newsday that he has written to the Environmental Management Authority for an investigation to be carried out in the matter. He has also written to chairman of the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation informing him about the plight of the villagers and what he termed the illegal quarrying operations. Quamina called on the EMA to speed up their investigation into the matter and to deal with haste with the health hazards.