SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Sep 8 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Counselor of the Natural Environment and Security area of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Isabel García, has asked the State Government and that of the Canary Islands an action regarding the different episodes of E.coli and hydrocarbon spills that appeared in different points of the coast of the island.
This situation has led to the closure of different coastal areas and is “worrying”, which is why it considers “essential to prevent pollution.”
García has personally communicated this to both administrations and has sent a letter addressed to the General Directorate for the Fight against Climate Change and the Environment and the General Directorate for Security and Emergencies, both from the Canarian executive; to the General Directorate of the Merchant Marine, dependent on the Ministry of Transport, and the Maritime Rescue and Safety Society (SASEMAR) in which it requests that “specify what measures could be taken to resolve these events.”
The counselor, who has also contacted representatives of Congress in order for the matter to reach the Lower House, indicates that “this summer, various stretches of coast, beach and pools of Tenerife have been seen and have had to be closed to the public use “, and adds that” from the Council of Tenerife it is considered essential to prevent pollution on the coasts of the islands and to carry out permanent monitoring of the sources of risk “.
For this reason, it requests the Government of the Canary Islands “an exhaustive report on the sources that from the ground may have caused the episodes of E. coli and other pollutants derived from spillage”, as well as the “identification of the entities or persons responsible for these spills, Corrective measures foreseen and demand of responsibilities for the damages that the marine pollution has caused by land-sea, legal or illegal discharges “.
In the same way, the State has requested a report on the risks and detected episodes of marine pollution, the probable hypotheses of the origin of these polluting discharges for whatever causes, another on how responsibility has been demanded or what controls are established to avoid the pollutants in the sea, as well as the provisions for the installation of control systems for discharges from ships that cross the islands and formulas to make the polluter pays principle prevail.