The attorney general asks them to inform her of the results of their visits to the crops.
In response to complaints from members of the Sotaquirá community, the 2nd Judicial Agrarian and Environmental Attorney of Tunja, Alicia López Alfonso, called on Corpoboyacá, the ICA and the mayor of the municipality to address the citizen complaints that exist against the Elite Flawers society. Farmers and its subsidiary Elite Blue SAS
The attorney told them that the petition from the members of the Sotaquirá community refers to events such as earthworks, apparently for the construction of reservoirs; effects on water resources; urban planning violations by establishments of activities not permitted in the territorial planning instrument, and that, according to a report from the Planning Secretariat, dated July 22, 2023, it was concluded that: “A. A total of 13 properties were found, of which seven exceed the percentage allowed for greenhouse exploitation. B. More than 50% fail to comply with the provisions of the municipality’s territorial planning.”
“In this regard, it is necessary to remember that this office, with official letter P2JAA – 2 –001133 -23 of December 27, 2024, required them to carry out actions within the framework of their functions and powers,” stated López Alfonso.
The actions to which the attorney refers are:
1. Process the request, each within the scope of their functions and powers, including the aspects specified in section 2.
2. Carry out an inspection visit to the area where the Elite Flower company carries out activities with blueberry crops, which must be led by the municipality of Sotaquirá and must involve Corpoboyacá and the ICA, and if applicable, the petitioner, in order to verify:
– Water concession permit.
– Dumping permit.
– Intervention of water sources that serve as sources of water supply for human consumption in the urban and rural areas of the municipality of Sotaquirá.
– Landscape impacts.
– Land uses (allowed, restricted, conditioned and/or prohibited).
– Intervention in areas of environmental protection declared by the environmental authority, municipality and/or individuals.
– By the ICA, establish whether the property where Elite Flower grows blueberry crops is certified with Good Agricultural Practices. If it complies with the requirements established in the new Resolution 00017822 of 2022 that modified Annex 1 of Res. ICA 75486 of 2020 and other provisions established by the Colombian Agricultural Institute.
– Implement the appropriate preventive measures in the event of environmental violations, provided that the conditions and requirements of Law 1333 of 2009 are met, and initiate the appropriate environmental sanctioning process.
3. In the event that there is an environmental and/or administrative sanctioning process either by the ICA or by the municipal entity for the reported events, the community and the Municipal Ombudsman must be informed, indicating the process number, preventive measures imposed and the procedural stage in which it is located, with an indication of the way in which they can become participants in it.
“In response to the previous request, Corpoboyacá reported, with letter 150-1644 of February 5, 2024, that the requested visit would take place on February 13, 2024, without any information having been provided to date on the technical concepts issued by both the municipal authority and the
environmental authority and less that they have been accepted with an administrative act,” said the attorney.
For the above, he requested that his office, the Municipal Ombudsman and the petitioners be informed of the result of the inspection visit carried out on February 13, 2024, in which surveillance was requested on the following aspects: water concession permit and discharge permit.
