Venezuelan Ministers of Eco-Mining Development and Eco-Socialism and Waters Roberto Mirabal and Ernesto Paiva, respectively, began talks intended to recover areas and banks of the Caroní River (south-eastern Bolívar state) so as to fight illegal mining and preserve the watercourse that empties into the Guri dam, the country’s major hydroelectric power generator.
The ministers toured lands and rivers impacted by illegal mining and flew over the lower basin of the river towards Guri dam, which provides Venezuela with 65% of electric power.
Back on April 28 this year, the dam’s water level hit a record low of 241.35 meters above sea level. Since then, that figure has increased to 261 meters above sea level, according to unofficial sources.
Based on the initiative, the government expects to comply with technical and environmental regulations to re-establish, improve, recover and restore the biological diversity and ecosystems adversely affected by irregular ore exploration and exploitation, in order to guarantee life in an ecologically harmonic environment, state-run news agency AVN reported.
Mirabal claimed that relevant authorities will implement a sustainable program of recovery of the basins of Caroní and Caura rivers, as part of the official guidelines for water protection. “Miners will be sent to spaces where they may carry out mining operations properly,” he added.
