Waiting Game Summaryhttps://www.elespectador.com/noticias/medio-ambiente/limites-de-santurban-promesa-incumplida-articulo-512263
Long that the Government has given to the socialization of the new limits of the moor Santurbán, scale 1: 25,000, have generated a shared peasants living on the fragile ecosystem (located between Santander and Norte de Santander) disgust and mining companies operating there.
Both have reasons to complain. The wait has fueled social conflict in the area linked to ownership by illegal miners in the mine entrances companies Eco Oro (Grey Star) and AUX activities that stopped over a year ago while waiting for the new limits, starting that these determine the future of their presence on the moor.
In addition, farmers have expressed uncertainty about the changes that will come the delimitation, as inevitably some will have to give up their customs as farmers and change the way they have used soils.
The Ministry of Environment has promised the country for over a year and a half, at least 10 different dates that deliver maps, but these remain unknown.
When Luz Helena Sarmiento took office in September 2013, and had breached three installments (May 14, 8 and August 30), and although the first interview as leader of the ministry announced that the definition does not increase from December 2013, since then there have only been postponements.
The closest he has been to deliver Minambiente polygons was in April this year when he announced, presenting very little information in the wilderness Santander would add some 44,000 hectares. That day, Sarmiento did not talk about the wasteland that is located in Norte de Santander, and that could account for half of the vital ecosystem.Nor did they get interested with the promised maps coordinates.
Then, the minister said the full polygons be known in July and the end of that month announced that it would spend August 1. Another broken promise.
The last time Luz Helena Sarmiento addressed the issue was on 11 August. That day he told the newspaper Vanguardia Liberal bumangués for her imminent arrival of El Niño "was the priority at that time" and all the attention of the ministry was directed to the subject, but on Friday 15 August, the country would know, or yes, complete maps of the wasteland Santurbán.
However, hours after this statement, the Government announced that it would not continue Sarmiento by the ministry and the caldense Gabriel Vallejo, former director of the Department for Social Prosperity and expert marketing matters, assume as the new minister of the environment portfolio.
The news left cold and those involved in the air once again, delivering the maps.Meanwhile, local newspaper made a call to the new minister for a ruling, titling one of his recent articles: "Minambiente, on the moor Santurbán are waiting."
acuevas@elespectador.com