The Canetown Homeowners Anti-Pollution Group in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, is seeking the help and intervention of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in addressing what it calls perennial air and water pollution, allegedly originated from the chimneys and cooling tower of the Victorias Milling Co.

The CHAP-G, in a letter-complaint furnished to the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan, asked Bienvenido Lipayon, DENR regional executive director, to strictly enforce RA 8749, known as the Clean Air Act of 1999, on the VMC sugar central.

CHAP-G chairperson Rodolfo Besana said the black ashes emanating from the sugar mill chimneys cause respiratory illnesses, among others, while foul odor and steam emits from the cooling tower are hazardous to health of the subdivision residents.

While DENR protects the environment and natural resources, what about the human resources, Besana asked.

Despite orders of the Pollution Adjudication Board for VMC to act on the water and air pollution, he said, no tangible action has been initiated by the sugar milling company.

DENR officials could not be reached for comment as of press time.*GPB

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