Negros Occidental seeks DENR nod for commercial dredging of lahar

CLEARING Workers of the Negros Occidental provincial government, shown here on Sept. 10, remove lahar and other volcanic debris from Mt. Kanlaon that have been clogging Ibid Creek in La Castella town. Over 2,000 cubic meters had been taken out as of Sep. 18. —NEGROS OCCIDENTAL PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT PHOTO

BACOLOD CITY—Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for a special permit to allow commercial clearing of lahar residue that has been clogging Ibid Creek in Sitio Tamburong, Barangay Biak-na-Bato, La Castellana town.

The governor said they could not depend on the equipment of the provincial government and those from La Castellana municipality as the clearing would take a long time.

A must

Hastening the clearing work is a must to prevent another flooding that hit the town following heavy rains last month because of lahar and other debris that came from Mt. Kanlaon had blocked the creek.

The provincial and municipal governments have removed 2,268 cubic meters (about 800 tons) of lahar from the creek as of Sept. 18. These truckloads of lahar were transferred to the compound of the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park office.

According to Lacson, there are some commercial contractors in the province who are interested in the lahar waste to be used as construction aggregate. But allowing them to clear the creek would need a DENR permit since the area is part of the natural park, which is a protected area.

He said the contractors were also willing to pay the provincial government for the lahar waste that they remove.