THE Cagayan de Oro City Council convened as a committee of the whole on Thursday, November 23, forming a task force to focus on probing the reported leakage of garbage leachate from the sanitary landfill in Barangay Pagalungan.
Councilor Suzette Magtajas-Daba was appointed to lead the task force with the representatives of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), Department of Health, city health office, solid waste management division of the city government and academe as members.
The task force also includes village chiefs of San Simon, Pagalungan, Canitoan, Pagatpat, Baikingon and Iponan in the impending investigation.
Councilor Ma. Lourdes Gaane, who chaired the committee meeting, said the city council must address and act upon the allegations of water contamination resulting to the reported "fish kill" and "skin diseases" in the affected areas.
Gaane said the task force is given a week to investigate and validate the claims of "unwanted juices" of wastes allegedly leaking from the landfill.
“Kay naa man allegations, we have to investigate and resolve the issue. Barangays San Simon lang ug Pagalungan ang naa sa meeting pero i-apil nato ang upat pa ka barangays surrounding Iponan river sa task force,” Gaane said, adding that the city council will have to wait for the report and the result of the investigation before taking further actions. (Alwen Saliring)