Merida, Yucatan — Members of Mayan communities in the western part of Yucatan have organized and are taking action to defend the environment.
Residents in Kinchil allege that since a new pig farm began operations, they noticed a decline in both the bee population and honey harvests. Also, they see black water in wetlands that they attribute to the plant.
As indigenous people, the Mayan council members have legal standing to file a complaint against any person or organization found to be defiling their land.
At a press conference held at the Amaro restaurant in Merida’s Centro Historico, they said yesterday that the Mayan Council of the West of Yucatan Chik’in Ja’ and the rights group Indignación A.C. have filed a complaint against those guilty of acts, actions and omissions that have resulted deforestation, ecological imbalance and damage to the environment and natural resources.
The above in addition to contravene the legal provisions and regulations that regulate the protection of the environment, and the preservation and restoration of ecological balance.
The popular complaint was filed with the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa), the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), both federal agencies, and before the state Secretariat of Sustainable Development.