Rehabilitation of Pantal River proposed
HAVING become too shallow and narrow are not the only problems with the Pantal River. It’s ecosystem is already at serious risk.
Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of Dagupan led by their chair, Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, and accompanied by Second Highways District Engr. Rodolfo Dion, determined this during an ocular inspection of the river all the way to the Ramos bridge located at the city’s boundary with Calasiao.
Not only have commercial establishments permanently extended their premises towards the river but many parts reeked with foul odor.
The stench was particularly blatant in the portion of Barangay Bacayao Sur where a piggery and poultry house were located close to the river.
Authorities have yet to confirm the SP’s conclusion that effluents from the two livestock businesses are likely being discharged straight out into the river.
In addition, adjacent residential houses, warehouses and other establishments also appear to be conveniently draining their wastewater down the Pantal River.
TOTAL REHAB
Dion recommended a rigorous dredging of the Pantal River from the Calasiao-Dagupan boundary going downstream, which has now become too shallow and narrow to handle water coming from upstream and out into the Lingayen Gulf.
He pointed out that the prevailing condition of the river is one of the major causes of the constant flooding in Dagupan during heavy rains.
In addition, the councilors reached a consensus that the river needs total rehabilitation to revive its degraded ecosystem as a result of constant dumping of wastes by residents living in the eastern and western banks.
Dion recommended the creation of an inter-agency committee that will be tasked to recover parts of the river annexed by private individuals and companies as extensions of their residential lots and sites for warehouses and other establishments.
The group noted that one of the establishments that has unduly extended its premises towards the river is the warehouse of Magic, owned by Mayor Benjamin Lim, located at Barangay Malued.
Dion added that commercial activities such as piggery and poultry should also be relocated further away from the river.
DREDGING
Dion acknowledged the dredging work will be costly, needing some 200 liters of crude oil per hour worth P10,000.
The dredging should be done continuously for six hours daily over a one-year period, he added.
The Department of Public Works and Highways already has a dredging machine moored at the bank of the Calmay River, capable of recovering up to 56 truckloads of silt.
There will also be a problem getting the dredging machine through the Quintos and Magsaysay Bridges due to the huge volume of silt that accumulated under these structures.
Dion observed that the depth of the Pantal river is now only between three to seven feet, the lowest at the boundary of Calasiao and Dagupan at three feet.
A parallel dredging at the Calasiao side, covered by another engineering district, should be undertaken, Dion said.
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