A MINER, who operates in the North West District, has reported that the Barama River, which is used to access gold fields, is drying up at an alarming rate.

Leslie Thomas, from Bamboo Landing, along the banks of the river, said the low level of its water is creating serious problems for miners who have to transport fuel, machinery and groceries to their respective areas of operation.
Thomas, who travelled to Charity on the Essequibo Coast last Thursday, said the situation is getting worse daily because of the extreme dry weather.
He said in some parts of the river there is only a trickle of water and, many times, boats travelling along it are grounded in shallow sections and persons have to go overboard and push the vessels to where is deeper.
Thomas said boat operators are also finding it difficult to navigate because of numerous exposed pieces of wood and he cautioned that travel on the river is only possible by day.
According to him, mining on land is not seriously affected by the dry weather, as miners are using water that is stored in large dug out ponds to carry on work on their dredges.
He said large wells have been sunk in the ground to secure drinking water which is bleached before use.
However, some miners, who can afford it, are using bottled water to drink, Thomas said.
He said the dry weather is also having a serious effect on villages that are located along the banks of the Barama River where residents depend on rain water for drinking as they cannot afford to buy it in sealed bottles and are, therefore, dependent on rainfall or small pools to get for cooking and bathing.