At a meeting of the State Council for Environmental Policy (Copam), this Wednesday morning (8), the vote on amendments to the Management Plan for the State Forest Park (PFE) in Baleia, proposed by the State Institute of Forests (IEF).
Among the changes, advocated by the Federation of Industries of Minas Gerais (Fiemg) and the Chamber of the Real Estate Market of Minas Gerais (CMI/MG), is the reduction of around 80% of the buffer area of the park, leaving unprotected the region of Serra do Curral, in Belo Horizonte.
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As an immediate impact, if the council is favorable to the changes in the plan, the mining company Tamisa would have an easier time continuing with its undertaking in stretches of the Serra, known as the postcard of the capital of Minas Gerais.
The decision, which had already been postponed on January 24, remains suspended, at the request of Gabriel Gontijo, secretary of the Environment for Nova Lima. According to him, in addition to Nova Lima, the city of Sabará, also located in the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte, was not consulted. However, both municipalities have areas included in the PFE da Baleia Management Plan.
In the evaluation of Marcelo Barbosa, leader of the Movement for Popular Sovereignty in Mining (MAM), the postponement represents a victory for defenders of the environmental heritage of the capital of Minas Gerais.
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“Our position is against the changes and the postponement is the result of our mobilization. Thus, we gain more time to debate with society”, she evaluates.
Marcelo, who is also advisor to Belo Horizonte councilor Bruno Pedralva (PT), also emphasizes that one of the demands of the movement is that the next Copam meetings have the physical presence of at least part of the councilors. So far, the meetings that have been convened to address the issue have been virtual.
“We want meetings to be at least hybrid, face-to-face and online. It is no longer possible for councilors to hide behind the cameras, which some don’t even leave connected, while they vote a little backwards in the state’s environmental policy, without showing up to society to demand it”, he argues.
Other wins
On the 26th of last month, the Federal Justice suspended the activities of the mining companies Gute Sicht and Fleurs Global in Serra do Curral, due to irregularities in the process of releasing the undertakings.
The decision came after an impasse between Minas Gerais judge Wauner Batista de Oliveira and the State Secretariat for the Environment and Sustainable Development (Semad).
At the beginning of the year, the judge suspended a determination, recommended by the Public Ministry of Minas Gerais (MPMG), which prevented the mining company Fleurs from carrying out its activities in the Serra territory.
Three days later, on January 9, Wauner was removed from the exercise, by the National Council of Justice (CNJ), for authorizing Bolsonarists to remain camped in front of the Army Headquarters, on Avenida Raja Gabaglia, in Belo Horizonte, with anti-government agendas. -democratic.
Considered a record holder in infractions, Fleurs has 15 notices issued.
“Pirate Miners”
Like Gute Sicht, Fleurs developed its activity in Serra do Curral through a Term of Adjustment of Conduct (TAC), that is, without environmental licensing. The TAC is a state government device that allows companies to operate in the territory temporarily.
In the opinion of state deputy Bella Gonçalves (PSOL) the granting of TACs is a mistake and allows the emergence of what she calls a “pirate mining company”.
“They entered Serra and then had their illegal activities legalized by the TAC. It’s as if the state government were authorizing and rewarding these ‘pirates’ with the possibility of mining without due process of law,” he says.
Patrimony
In addition to forming the landscape of the capital of Minas Gerais, Serra do Curral is considered a cultural, environmental and political heritage of the city’s population. In addition, the protection of the Serra is fundamental for maintaining the dynamics of life of several inhabitants of the region.
“It is important to remember that the Serra is inhabited. There we have quilombos, slums and peripheral communities, which suffer the impacts of mining in different ways”, highlights Bella Gonçalves.
The deputy also emphasizes that mining in the Serra also brings water insecurity to residents of the capital and cities in the metropolitan region.
“It is an important recharge area for several springs, which supply the rivers of Belo Horizonte. It is also important to remember that after the collapse of the Vale dam in Brumadinho, a water catchment was installed there. That is, the emergency water supply for the city is compromised”, highlights the elected deputy.
Source: BdF Minas Gerais
Editing: Larissa Costa
