NewsWhore
10-03-2008, 04:40 PM
Geographer Zacarias Nieto warns that the construction of the new Cibao-South highway on the route proposed and promoted by Monsignor Jose Dolores Grullon of San Juan de la Maguana would result in the destruction of several rivers and forests in the Cordillera Central that are now protected because they are inaccessible to humans. Writing in Clave newspaper (2 October), Nieto says that four highways already connect the country from south to north, of which three are in disrepair. He suggests that these should be repaired instead of building a new highway.
In addition to the Duarte Highway that connects Santo Domingo with Santiago, the others are the San Jose de Ocoa-Constanza road (with side roads to Jarabacoa and Bonao), the Piedra Blanca-Las Carreras-Rancho Arriba and San Jose de Ocoa. The Villa Altagracia-San Cristobal road, and the Carretera Internacional (connecting the border towns with Haiti with Santiago (Villa Vazquez, Guayubin, Santiago Rodriguez, Montecristi, Dajabon, valley of San Juan de la Maguana via Loma de Cabrera, Restauracion, Pedro Santana, Banica and Las Matas de Farfan.
Nieto adds that experience shows that building highways gives humans more access and leads to the demise of rivers and major deforestation. He said that once a road is built, farm businessmen, poor farmers and forest exploiters move in. He mentions the case of the demise of Jatubey River, and how the road to Valle Nuevo has caused major damage to the Nizao River, a main water source for Santo Domingo and farming in Bani.
For further information, Nieto can be contacted at zacariasnieto@gmail.com
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)
In addition to the Duarte Highway that connects Santo Domingo with Santiago, the others are the San Jose de Ocoa-Constanza road (with side roads to Jarabacoa and Bonao), the Piedra Blanca-Las Carreras-Rancho Arriba and San Jose de Ocoa. The Villa Altagracia-San Cristobal road, and the Carretera Internacional (connecting the border towns with Haiti with Santiago (Villa Vazquez, Guayubin, Santiago Rodriguez, Montecristi, Dajabon, valley of San Juan de la Maguana via Loma de Cabrera, Restauracion, Pedro Santana, Banica and Las Matas de Farfan.
Nieto adds that experience shows that building highways gives humans more access and leads to the demise of rivers and major deforestation. He said that once a road is built, farm businessmen, poor farmers and forest exploiters move in. He mentions the case of the demise of Jatubey River, and how the road to Valle Nuevo has caused major damage to the Nizao River, a main water source for Santo Domingo and farming in Bani.
For further information, Nieto can be contacted at zacariasnieto@gmail.com
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)