Environment must protect Santo Domingo’s green belt

Santo Domingo.- Santo Domingo State University Environment Commission director Luis Carvajal on Fri. asked the Environment Ministry to comply with its responsibility of protecting Santo Domingo’s green belt, groundwater and against possible flooding from downpours.

He said the problem is not just the Ozama River banks, as denounced by the mayor of Santo Domingo Norte where garbage and construction debris is being dumped within the green belt. “That is a problem that extends to the municipality of La Victoria, to the Emgombe area in the western part of the city.”

Carvajal said the problem is more serious because they are occupying flood zones including the land where a new prison is being built.

“It is easy to prosecute those who created these trash dumps, the Environmental Prosecutor’s Office must act, because those are environmental crimes.”

As long as there is no consequence regime it will be impossible to stop these actions, even though these actions are often they do so with the coexistence of authorities.”