After the visit of the public prosecutor of Kankan, the authorities in Madiana have decided to put out of action those who harm the environment. To this purpose, a special mission, made up of thirty-six police officers, has been set up to track down those who violate the law regarding environmental protection in mining activities. In a raid, more than a dozen of people from different nationalities were arrested and presented to the press this Monday at the headquarter of the Mandiana gendarmerie, according to the reporter of Infomineguinee.com

The Mandiana prefecture is increasing the fight against harmful practices on the environment. At the headquarter of the local gendarmerie, more than a dozen of people from different nationalities are detained upon possession of objects used in illegal gold mining, environmetal pollution and non conventional chemical products usage. The arrest of these people was made possible thanks to the good collaboration between local authorities and the forces of order.

"As you have noticed, I can assure that the environment is totally degraded. To date, 19 people have been arrested in the field, along with an accomplice, making a total of 20 people upon harmful activities on the environment charges. We would like to draw the attention of the population of Mandiana who thinks that these actions are against a part of the population that this not the case. These actions will be kept ongoing and those involved will be brought to justice", said Mamadou Lamine Diallo, Public Prosecutor at the Mandiana Court of First Instance.

The objective of these actions is to identify and bring to justice all those involved in the degration of the environment. Measures have been taken by the prefectoral directorate of mining to make the fight against harmful practices on the environment and illegal mining a success, according to the Mandiana prefectoral director of mining.

" It is following an investigation that we conducted that these illegal gold mining materials were discovered and seized. Beforehand, we had sensitized people on the use of crushing machinery and toxic products in backwaters, but the message did not get through. So now we haved moved on to the repression phase, with the support of our hierarchical superiors. Even tomorrow, we are going to deploy teams wherever there are activities that harm the environment to arrest the perpatrators and seize machines. We are not going to back down until the phenomenon of dforestation and environmental degradatioin caused by illegal mining is eradicated", a rassuré Yacouba Diakité.

In addition, the Mandiana prefectoral director of mining and sustanaible development invited the population to protect the environment and to fight agaisnt activities that are harmful to the environment.

" Protecting the environment must be the priority for everyone, no one is spared. We need to make people aware. People mnust know that illegal mining is not normal and that it is a danger for our ecosystem which is becoming fragile day by day. They should never put their short term interests first at the expense of the forest ecosystem", said Lieutenant Amadou Kaïn Keita.

These alleged perpatrators of environmental pollution are now facing justice. Following their arrest and the presentation of their activities to the press, local authorities have taken steps to ensure that they answer for their actions before the courts".

From Mandiana, Souleymane Kato Camara