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Monday, May 12, 2003
Plantations lack system for wastes: city exec
By Christie Enriquez-Uayan
FOR the first time, government officials and city councilors saw for themselves the real state of the city's environmentally critical areas (ECAs) reportedly being encroached by banana plantations.
City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) Assistant Chief Martin Obrero said the visit of heads of various agencies and organizations in Daliaon, Toril last May 1, drew negative reactions, especially regarding the manner of disposal of the plantations' wastes.
Obrero said that the water effluents of these plantations directly flow to the river tributaries of the Mt. Talomo Lipadas watershed, where the city's drinking water is primarily sourced.
"Hindi appropriate ang ginawa nilang canal. Walang sedimentation pit na doon sana magsa-subside ang waste water para ma-trap ang paticulates doon at hindi na didiretso sa river tributaries ng Talomo-Lipadas watershed (The canal made was inappropriate. There is no sedimentation pit to trap particles before these flow to the river tributaries of the Talomo-Lipadas watershed)," Obrero said in Sunday's Tabak forum.
The forester said this was frowned at by Council Committee on Environment Chair Beethoven Orcullo, along with his member-Councilors Susabel Reta and Alexis Almendras.
Davao City Water District commercial division manager Dominador Lopez and watershed Management division chief Rosindo Almonte were not pleased by the manner of disposal as well.
The Cenro officer related that plantation use soap and chlorine to clean their bananas. If consumed in large amounts, chlorine may prove fatal to humans and animals.
Detergent soaps, on the other hand, may contain inorganic chemicals that also harm the environment.
"Kasi pag hindi mo hinugasan yan, magiging maitim ang balat ng saging (If you don't wash these then their skin will darken), so how can you export that?" Obrero shared, adding that they are not yet alarmed over the possible hazard of the chemicals contained in aerial sprays being used by the plantations.
Obrero said he is also trying to propose organic farming to the farmers of banana plantations to lessen the hazardous effects of synthetic and inorganic fertilizers to the environment, and possibly, to the quality of the drinking water of the city.
Environmentalists fear that the massive expansion of the plantations within the foot of the Mt. Apo National Park and near the tributaries of Davao's major watersheds will adversely affect the city's drinking water and its inhabitants.
(May 12, 2003 issue)
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