The Superintendence of the Environment brought serious charges against the company Inmobiliaria Pocuro Sur SpA., after verifying that the project “View of the Cordillera Stages I and II“, located on Volcanoes Valley sector of the commune of Montt portintervened in an urban wetland despite not having an Environmental Qualification Resolution.
As reported by the SMA, the project began to be executed in February 2021 – with the Law No. 21,202 on Urban Wetlands-, “on the margins of the Environmental Impact Assessment System”, and motivated 11 citizen complaints.
The inspection confirmed the existence of “construction and urbanization works within an area that presents the characteristics of a wetland located within the urban limit, without counting on RCA.”
These works included “Scaling work, vegetation clearing, soil removal and compaction using heavy machinery, construction of drainage ditches and subsequent drying of the affected areafor the construction of construction works”.
The firm has 15 business days to present its defenses. (Photo: SMA)
Ivonne Mansilla, head of the Regional Office of the Superintendency in Los Lagosexplained that the works affected a “ecosystem of high environmental valuein which species that are in the conservation category coexist, such as the four-eyed toadhe puye and the bandurriaamong others; added to a significant presence of hydrophilic vegetationwhich is notable for its abundance of cow rib specimens.”
The Pocuro Sur SpA Real Estate Company risks a fine of up to five thousand Annual Tax Units, equivalent to more than 3,946 million pesos.
After being notified of these charges, the firm has a period of 10 business days to present a Compliance Program, and 15 business days to formulate defenses.
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