After nine months of work, the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) of the Melchior River concluded its work this Monday (15/12), and chose to reject the indictment of private companies and public organizations identified as alleged polluters of the waters of the river.
The request for accountability was signed by the president of the commission, deputy Paula Belmonte (PSDB), and the district deputy Gabriel Magno (PT), but was rejected by the three other members of the CPI: Iolando (MDB), Joaquim Roriz (PL) and Martins Machado (Republicans).
The request requested the indictment of Caesb, the Water Regulation Agency, the Urban Cleaning Service (SLU) and the following private companies: Hydros Soluções Ambientais, Seara Alimento, Bonasa Alimentos and Frigocan. According to investigations, the people cited are among those responsible for the degradation of Melchior.
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Wide angle
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In the final report of the CPI, the parliamentarians detailed the causes of the degradation of the river water, including the discharge of effluents from large projects such as the Wastewater Treatment Plant (ETE), the CAESB, the Brasilia Landfill, the companies responsible for local slaughterhouses, in addition to diffuse pollution.
The report also addresses gaps in inspection and monitoring carried out by bodies such as Adasa and the Federal District Institute of Environment and Water Resources (Ibram-DF), insufficient sanitation infrastructure and lack of integration with territorial planning.
In the request rejected by the three districts of the base of the Federal District Government, the failures of inspections, administrative omissions and possible fraud in environmental reports already proven throughout the work of the CPI were also highlighted.
Gabriel and Paula affirm that the inclusion of the request in the final text – which will be transmitted to the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Federal District (MPDFT), the Court of Auditors (TCDF) and other competent bodies – would allow the investigations to result in concrete measures of accountability and prevention of further environmental damage to the Melchior River.
Melchior’s reclassification
The majority rejected the request for indictment, but approved the final report of the ICC which called for the reclassification of the river to level 3. According to the parliamentarians, this request constitutes an attempt to reduce pollution of the site. With this reframing, control bodies must intensify river control and environmental recovery actions.
The IPC also approved an addition to allow for measures that the base text did not include. The text includes the following recommendations:
- Stricter rules on water quality;
- Increased transparency of environmental data;
- Improved water monitoring;
- Combat land grabbing in the region;
- Greater participation of society in environmental decisions;
- Sustainable development observatories;
- Environmental education actions.
Defense
In a note, Bonasa clarifies that the company’s branch is not located on the banks of the Melchior River: “At the Bonasa branch, located in Samambaia, there is no slaughterhouse installation/operation or even a hatchery.”
“On site there is exclusively a pig fattening farm with bunk bed technology – which does not generate liquid waste – and, in addition, a duly structured composting area with equipment that avoids soil contamination,” explains the company.
“Bonasa reiterates its commitment to environmental legislation, the well-being of neighboring communities and the transparency of its operations, and is also available to relevant bodies and society to provide further clarification,” he stressed.
The other companies and organizations cited were contacted, but only responded to the latest update of the text. The space remains open for future events.
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