This week, the city of Paraná declared the environmental emergency to address a health and socio-environmental crisis that has been ongoing for over 40 years and puts entire families at risk.
The declaration responds to the persistent problems faced by areas located near the city’s streams and cliffs.
Today, these areas present risks of landslides, erosion, and structural damage affecting both families in vulnerable areas and established neighborhoods.
The Deliberative Council unanimously approved the Executive’s project establishing 12 months of validity, extendable for an equal period.
The measure allows the Municipality to streamline administrative procedures, reallocate resources, and prioritize immediate interventions.
The goal is to reduce risks, protect people, and safeguard public and private property by strengthening the essential infrastructure for the city’s functioning.
Emergency in the Paraná River against a four-decade problem
The recent landslides in the Mariano Moreno neighborhood highlight a situation that has gone unresolved for over 40 years.
The environmental emergency responds to a combination of natural factors, vulnerable sanitary infrastructure, and urban pressure on the margins.
Climatic variations exacerbate the possibility of landslides, erosion, and structural damage.
Both families in vulnerable areas and established neighborhoods face direct consequences of this progressive deterioration.
After several years of drought, the return to usual rainfall levels has once again exposed the fragility of the hydric and sanitary system.
This necessitates urgent intervention to prevent further damage.
The emergency plan against landslides in Paraná
The initiative includes the creation of a Technical Emergency Committee, composed of specialists in various strategic areas:
- Hydraulics
- Geotechnics
- Environment
- Sanitary infrastructure
- Social development
- Civil defense
- Communication
This technical body will conduct specific surveys, issue binding reports, and define action protocols.
The areas identified as socio-environmental risk zones will have established evacuation plans.
The Committee will propose measures for the Municipal Executive Department to develop a preventive contingency plan.
The plan will be aimed at families residing on the banks of streams and in coastal edge sectors.
The critical diagnosis of Paraná that led to declaring the environmental emergency
Recent surveys show losses in the potable water network, leaks in cliffs, and irregular sewage discharges.
These deficient sanitation conditions cause environmental impacts and compromise the stability of the terrain.
The environmental emergency increases the risk for the population living in vulnerable areas.
The measure provides the Municipality with an exceptional action framework to address a complex and multi-causal problem that demands quick responses.
The proposal is based on national and provincial regulations that establish the right to a healthy environment.
According to the legal framework, the State has the obligation to act preventively when the safety and welfare of the population are compromised.
