Decisive action: Environment dismantles illegal dam on the Yabija River
In a decisive operation for the preservation of water resources, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources achieved the total dismantling of a dam that was operating illegally on the Yabija River, located in the municipal district of Jaya, San Francisco de Macorís. This intervention allowed for the restoration of the tributary’s natural course, ensuring the free flow of its waters.
The operation was executed by environmental authorities with the strategic support of the National Environmental Protection Service (SENPA) and in close collaboration with the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for the Defense of the Environment and Natural Resources.
Compliance with justice
The action was the direct result of compliance with Criminal Judgment number 136-2023-SSEN-00010, issued by the Criminal Chamber of the Court of First Instance of the Duarte Judicial District. According to judicial records, the structures were erected without the required environmental permits, occupying the riverbed and the river’s protection strip. Despite having received previous stop-work orders, those responsible continued with the construction work, which prompted the immediate demolition order.
This operation reflects the execution phase that we are promoting following Decree 615-26. Protecting the environment is protecting water, the safety of communities, and our common heritage. When a structure illegally alters a river, the State must act, enforce the law, and recover the affected space.
Paíno Henríquez, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources
National priority
The intervention aligns with Decree 615-26, a regulation that establishes the protection of natural resources and ecological infrastructure as a strategic priority for national security. This provision seeks to strengthen the State’s capabilities in terms of prevention, investigation, and response to any threat to the Dominican ecosystem.
From Alofoke Deportes, we highlight that the Ministry of Environment has reaffirmed its commitment to continue executing both administrative and judicial measures to curb irregular interventions. The main objective remains the recovery of degraded ecosystems and the safeguarding of watersheds throughout the national territory.
