DistantNews
Support us
Colombia announces environmental recovery plan for fire-hit Tolima
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Environment & Climate

Colombia announces environmental recovery plan for fire-hit Tolima

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire Official statement Ongoing story
  • Colombia will launch an environmental, productive, rural and security recovery plan in Tolima after fires affected about 50,000 hectares over the past month.
  • The government will provide 343 housing subsidies, animal feed and 7 billion pesos for productive projects, while 2,660 producers face estimated losses exceeding 134 billion pesos.
  • Nineteen fires remain active in six departments, and authorities are offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of suspected perpetrators.

Colombia will offer 343 subsidies to rebuild rural homes damaged by wildfires in Tolima, where about 50,000 hectares of vegetation and crops have been affected over the past month.

President Abelardo de la Espriella said the recovery plan would cover environmental, productive, rural and security needs. Each housing subsidy will be worth 65 million pesos, or about $20,300.

We have more than 50,000 hectares affected in the department of Tolima, nearly 28,000 of them agricultural or livestock areas; 2,660 producers are affected and estimated losses exceed 134 billion pesos; 163,000 animals are at risk, and 23 municipalities are affected.

— Abelardo de la EspriellaThe president outlined the scale of the wildfire damage in Tolima.

The fires have affected 2,660 producers and caused estimated losses of more than 134 billion pesos, about $42 million, according to the president. Some 28,000 of the affected hectares are agricultural or livestock areas, and 163,000 animals are at risk across 23 municipalities.

To rebuild rural homes that have been affected by the fires.

— Abelardo de la EspriellaThe president described the purpose of the housing subsidies.

The government also plans to provide 5,000 tonnes of hay and 5,000 tonnes of rice straw for livestock, along with 7 billion pesos, about $2.2 million, for productive projects. A national risk-management report said 19 fires remained active in six departments, including 11 in Tolima and four in Nariño.

Authorities have also turned to criminal investigations. De la Espriella ordered the creation of a special elite group to pursue those responsible and offered rewards of up to 50 million pesos, or about $16,000, for information leading to arrests. The announcement followed allegations that many of the fires were deliberately started. The report also noted the presence in Tolima of drug-trafficking groups and the Central General Staff, the largest dissident group from the former FARC, led by Iván Mordisco.

We will provide 5,000 tonnes of hay and 5,000 tonnes of rice straw to support the animals' food supply, and we will allocate 7 billion pesos to productive projects.

— Abelardo de la EspriellaThe president detailed additional assistance for livestock and rural production.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog