Butuanon River in Mandaue City File Photo (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
The Mandaue City Council on Wednesday passed on first reading a proposed ordinance declaring the entire 23-kilometer stretch of the Butuanon River a non-extraction zone.
“We saw the irreversible damage caused by extraction. We discourage this even upon issuing a permit from the city,” said Councilor Ernie Manatad.
A commercial demand for soil, sand and gravel is fueling this activity on the river in barangays Tingub and Casuntingan, he said.
This adversely affects the quality of the water and leads to erosion of the channel bed and banks, aside from results in the loss of adjacent land and structures.
The proposal removes the provision “unless authorized under a permit issued by the mayor” from City Ordinance No. 10-2005-322 issued last July.
Section 2 of Proposed Ordinance No. 73-2014 prohibits anyone from extracting and disposing of any of the minerals from public water or in public or private lands within Mandaue City’s territorial jurisdiction.
The ordinance was proposed by the Butuanon River Watershed Management Board.
The Mandaue City government earlier set aside an initial P6.1 million for Phase 1 of the rehabilitation of the Butuanon River which lies densely populated areas in Mandaue City and Cebu City.
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