[Photos] Irrigation infrastructure is deteriorating at Lower Chira

SULLANA, Peru – Organized farmers at Paita Province northwestern seem to be uncomfortable about the

    

agricultural and oil corporations operating in the same territory. According to the Board of Chira’s Hidraulic Sector Users (JUSHCH as in Spanish), the pass of heavy vehicles and the existence of pipelines spoil the dams and drains allowing to evacuate water out of agricultural zones or relief Chira River in overload times.

 

In Amotapé District, the vehicles of sugarcane-grower companies Caña Brava and AgroChira might damaged dams managed by Chira-Piura Special Project (PECHP as in Spanish) and a canal in charge of JUSHCH. This last one’s president Angel Zapata requested to PECHP to nullify the circulation authorization through the so-called Canal Norté (Northern Canal) for both agricultural companies. He added the dust caused by the traffic do not favor the normal growth of adjacent crops.

 

The people seemed to support the request while Chira Local Water Administration’s (ALA Chira, as in Spanish) Ricardo Pérez recommended PECHP to evaluate such authorizations. He reminded that the dams were built for protecting the people and croplands before Chira River’s overloads, not like roads for heavy vehicles. PECHP promised to evaluate the cancellation of authorizations.

 

Meanwhile in the nearby Districts El Arenal and Colan, JUSHCH verified that the canals, drains, bridges, and sewers might been affected by pipelines of Olympic oil company. Also, its heavy vehicles might reduced the size of two dams and La Bocana Drain that leads to Pacific Ocean.

 

Oil, gas, and wáter pipelines might invaded the agricultural irrigation infrastructure. El Arenal Irrigators Commission’s Rufino Pardo estimated this could be hazardous, especially in rainy season because it would block the excedent water to flow to the sea, what means the croplands could flood.

 

They noticed in La Bocana Drain that Olympic also might be using it like a road for heavy vehicles and that it might be taking one of the leads of Chira River’s Delta for catching water without any authorization. It’s important to add that the relationship between the oil company and the Lower Chira communities bordering the Pacific Ocean has been marked by a long timeline of conflicts and disappointments.

 

FACTORTIERRA ignores if Caña Brava, AgroChira, or Olympic have responded the allegations of JUSHCH.

 

All the photographs featured in this entry were provided by JUSHCH. Comment this in the box below or on     our Facebook and Twitter accounts. Would you like to learn more about? Write us at factortierra@gmail.com