BOARD Member Andrew Montelibano (Third District) said Monday, February 8, that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Western Visayas director has directed them to strictly impose the rules and regulations on quarry operations in Negros Occidental to avoid environmental destruction.
Montalibano said they have received several feedback pointing to some quarry operations having some alleged violations, which, he said, they will look into.
"The DENR told us to immediately serve notice to those having violations," Montelibano said.
The illegal quarry operations are believed to be among the causes of flooding especially in the Third District.
Montelibano said they will start the inspection as soon as the weather situation is stable this week after the Provincial Board created a technical working group.
Site inspection to determine whether those in the quarry business have permits and are compliant with government policies will be conducted, Montelibano added.
The decision to conduct site inspection came after two consecutive hearings conducted by the Provincial Board last January in its effort to know why huge volumes of water from upland areas triggered floods in the cities of Talisay, Silay and Victorias and E.B. Magalona town that affected more than 50,000 households per compiled data from the four LGUs.