THE mining community of Coomacka, Region 10, which has been plagued with environmental after-effects of decades of unregulated mining, will very soon see the commencement of dredging and other correctional works, to the Upper Demerara River and other areas in the community.

Regional Chairman Renis Morian said that monies had been provided in the budget of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), and that $20M will be used to commence the first phase of the project. Morian previously pointed out that the entire process would cost about $400M.

NDIA officers, during the previous week, visited the region to ascertain the state of the affected river and other areas of the community. Another technical team is expected to visit the identified area today, January 23, 2019. Morian expressed excitement that Coomacka’s woes would soon be a thing of the past. He added that the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) will be giving the NDIA team whatever support would be needed, to ensure that Coomacka returns to what it used to be.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon, had during his address to Lindeners at the launch of Linden Town Week 2018, indicated that Conservation International (CI) and World Wildlife Federation (WWF) should be stepping in to collaboratively look at the environmental issues plaguing Coomacka. Those environmental issues affecting the over 2,000 residents, include flooding and erosion which have destroyed the community’s access bridge and roadways. The erosion of bauxite sediment and other aggregates such as sand, mud and clay, keep draining from the mined-out areas during heavy rainfalls into the Upper Demerara River, which passes through the community.

The aggregates are washed from the mined-out holes that are some 15 feet above Coomacka, which sits in a basin below, into the community and the Demerara River that passes through.. The state of the river has threatened the livelihood of the residents, since they depend on the river as a main source of transportation, as well as for other domestic purposes such as fishing, swimming, bathing and washing.

In addition to bringing an end to the environmental issues, Minister Harmon also pointed out that Coomacka, as well as other mining communities, will benefit from the International Solar Alliance Agreement (ISA). The mined-out areas, he said, allowed for greater access for solar power on the ISA, and those areas could be converted to green tourism.

“The solar footprints of Linden is one of your greatest assets and, this is something that we have to explore, and you have to understand there’s a benefit for that,” Harmon noted. “So sometimes when we cry about the way our mines have operated…these mined- out areas serve as demotivators to us, we have now to recognise that, that itself is a positive,” he added.

The residents of Coomacka are expected to benefit from employment, as the NDIA prepares to commence work.