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 Editorials | Environmental | April 2007 
Campesino Fears Pollution Will Ruin His Crop
 El Universal
Salamanca, Gto. - José María Yépez awoke to the shouts of his neighbors.
The tiny community of campesinos, known as El Divisador, was shaken by the sight of a black, oily substance that covered their wheat and barley fields.
The old man hurried outside to learn that his parcel of land, located about 300 meters (roughly 950 feet) from the CFE thermoelectric plant, was damaged by a March 9 spillage.
On that day, the failure of CFE´s main boiler caused fuel to be sprayed over the town´s 45 hectares (111 acres) of farmland, according to Salamanca´s mayor.
"A black mist fell!" recalled one of El Divisador´s farmers. "It was jet black, like tar."
Nearly a month after the spill, the affected crops have begun to dry out.
Yépez, 75, suffered damages to 1.5 hectares (3.7 acres) of land.
"It has affected our lands, our plants, our lives," he said.
With his gaze fixed on the ground, the old man protested CFE´s neglect. He spoke of the great efforts and enthusiasm his fellow campesinos take in working the land; of the expenses and investments that all have lost.
"We did all this on credit," he said, dejected. "More than 8,000 pesos (US$728) was invested in this planting, with the hope that we´d make enough to last us the rest of the year."
He walked slowly along the furrows of his cultivated field.
"Look how they´re drying out!" Yépez cried, as he showed a reporter a clump of desiccated wheat that had already grown nearly 2 feet (60 centimeters) high before the accident.
Yépez is afraid the entire harvest may be lost.
The CFE says they will consider paying compensation only after the harvest has concluded, and the damages can be ascertained. |
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