Rio Garagoa : ¿extracción o destrucción?

Abstract

Since 2008, mining extraction work has been carried out, specifically dragging material, in the Garagoa River. This, thanks to a mining license that was granted by the National Government to a private party and that, according to the community, was issued without prior communication or agreement. Similarly, the Regional Autonomous Corporation of Chivor, from now on Corpochivor, issued the environmental license that endorses the mining company to carry out the extraction work. However, the inhabitants of Garagoa assure that this was never discussed with the community and that the consequences that this would have for the ecosystem and the surrounding population were not taken into account. The extraction of stones seriously affects the natural course of the river, which in turn weakens the land, especially during the rainy season, and causes landslides that take away part of the land belonging to the farms of many of the inhabitants, which he forces them to run their fences to prevent the cattle from slipping to their deaths. Likewise, some of the most representative fish species in the region have become extinct due to mining extraction. For this reason, the present investigation has as its central axis to question the regional and national authorities regarding the socio-environmental effects and to know the plans and actions carried out to mitigate the impact of the mining exploitation of the Garagoa River in the Department of Boyacá. A mixed methodology will be used, in which interviews, field diary, document review and data collection will be carried out.