As part of the first day of the environmental tour of the CAR territory, the director of the Regional Autonomous Corporation (CAR), Alfred Ballesteros, met with more than 40 municipal observers and officials to discuss key issues in the province of Tequendama. The municipalities addressed included Anolaima, Anapoima, Cachipay, Tena, Quipile, La Mesa, San Antonio del Tequendama, Mesitas del Colegio, Viotá and Apulo.
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During the meeting, the need for urgent actions was highlighted to address the inappropriate conduct of some individuals that negatively affects natural resources. Ballesteros stressed the urgency of intervention by the environmental authority to mitigate these impacts.
A central aspect of the discussion was CAR’s commitment to local communities to acquire land in the area where the La Honda stream originates, a vital water source for Anapoima, La Mesa and Tena. The corporation has allocated $2 billion for this purpose. The purchase of these lands seeks to ensure a constant supply of water in the medium and long term.
Ballesteros called on the communities and leaders of the area to collaborate in persuading the owners of the land in question, with the aim of selling their properties to the CAR. This cooperation is essential to ensure the protection and maintenance of the critical water source.
In addition, the CAR has planned a series of visits and evaluations in the different streams and water sources of the 10 mentioned municipalities. These activities will seek to identify factors of pollution, deforestation and other actions that may put natural resources at risk. Inspections will allow concrete decisions to be made and, if necessary, sanctions to be imposed.
At the same time, Ballesteros had a meeting with officials and contractors to evaluate the files pending in the Tequendama regional. The meeting focused on developing a strategy to decongest these files within three years, in order to efficiently respond to community queries.
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