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Surigao Norte officials address issues of sand and gravel
permittees
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provincial officials of Surigao del Norte, namely Gov. Robert
Ace S. Barbers and Vice Gov. Noel P. Catre met with the sand
and gravel permittees and contractors recently to address
the issues and concerns of the sand and gravel permittees
in the province.
Sand
and gravel permittees have manifested their request to conduct
extraction and hauling operation during holidays and weekends
in order to compensate for their losses at times when the
weather condition is bad.
We
do understand your situation and because of that we are lifting
our no extraction during weekends and holidays very soon,”
declared the governor, “Just give us a few days to come
up with the details of this new policy.”
According to the governor, the permittees and contractors
still have to follow the 8AM to 5PM time interval of extraction/hauling
unless they can secure the necessary Special Permit from the
Provincial Environment and Management Office.
Meanwhile,
Vice Governor Noel P. Catre, warned permittees/contractors
to strictly follow the provisions of the Environment Code
of Surigao del Norte, particularly the observance of proper
conduct of sand and gravel extractions and hauling.
“We
will soon be coming up with a River Assessment, to be handled
by a Task Force created for this purpose, to help us monitor
which areas are already in critical situations and should
thus be prohibited from extraction,” disclosed PEMO
Antonieto M. Charcos.
Also present during the said meeting were concerned barangay
officials who wanted to be clarified of the procedures and
processes in the sharing of income from sand and gravel operations
as well as report unlawful and suspicious violations in their
areas.
“I
would like to urge our barangay officials to perform their
mandates in protecting and managing our environment and natural
resources,” said Gov. Barbers.” We are also doing
this to increase the income of the province that would help
us fund various developmental programs and projects,”
he added.
Another
major concern of the province is the illegal mining and illegal
logging activities operating in some mainland municipalities
here. “We will work out on putting up check points in
all exit points in the province, including our ports, so that
the illegal transport of our mineral ores will be curtailed,”
he added. (PEMO/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
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