Peruvian President Ollanta Humala Tasso chaired on Monday at the Government Palace a meeting to discuss the government's work on combating illegal mining and how to increase efforts to eradicate this problem affecting heatlh and environment.
During the meeting, Peruvian authorities agreed to reinforce public safety in the Peruvian southern region of Madre de Dios with the aim to restore peace to that area of the country.
Attending the meeting were President of the Council of Ministers, René Cornejo; Minister of Interior, Walter Alban; Minister of Economy , Luis Miguel Castilla ; Minister of Energy and Mines, Eleodoro Mayorga ; Minister of Environment, Manuel Pulgar Vidal.
The high commissioner of Matters of Formalization and Prohibition of Mining and Environmental Amendment, Daniel Urresti; Deputy Minister of Resources for Defense, Jakke Valakivi, among other top officials also participated in the gathering.
Illegal mining is prevalent in Peru. Half of the activity is concentrated in the southern regions of Puno, Madre de Dios and Cusco.
The unregulated gold mining has destroyed large swaths of Amazon rainforest and caused widespread mercury contamination of water and fishing sources.
(END) NDP/MVF/DLG
Published: 4/15/2014