The **government of Neuquén** made a **serious accusation regarding [Cerro Chapelco](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/argentina-polemica-por-venta-de-tierras-del-cerro-chapelco/)**. It is against an important local businessman who will be investigated for tree felling, **possible pollution and environmental damage**, and harm to wildlife.
The accused is the president of **Nieves del Chapelco SA**, **Juan Cruz Adrogué**. He is accused of carrying out a “dismantling” of the ski center in **San Martín de los Andes**, aiming to “leave the land devastated before the imminent end of the concession”.
The contract will expire on **Monday, April 7**, and the government led by **Rolando Figueroa** has already initiated a bidding process to find a new company.
## The accusation at Cerro Chapelco: what the businessman is accused of
The accusation presented in late March by the State prosecutor, **Raúl Gaitán**, is for “damage with the purpose of **preventing the free exercise of authority or in revenge** for their determinations”.
In the document, he detailed a series of **irregularities and alleged intentional acts** by the businessman to remove or destroy assets from the Cerro Chapelco ski resort.
The case was assigned to the prosecutor’s office in San Martín de los Andes under the direction of **Hernán Scordo**.
The accusation states that the businessman is **”diminishing, through dismantling and destruction, the entrusted provincial heritage”**.
Furthermore, it listed the assets that were removed:
– Tents
– Magic carpets
– Ski equipment
– Operation plaques for chairlifts
– Chairlifts
– Computer equipment
– Machinery and assets (groomer, snow cannons, truck, van, snowmobiles, 350 staff uniforms, cable car engine)
It was also pointed out the destruction and disablement of the “lift bridge tow”, connecting to the Puma prairie.
This **”damages the internal communication system between different points of the mountain** – including wiring – affecting the emergency communication service, **damaging the electrical system** due to its dismantling, leaving visible cable bridges with a possible fire risk”, the text accuses.
## The “environmental damage”
Simultaneously, there is another case open in the Environmental Crimes prosecutor’s office led by **Maximiliano Breide Obeid** for environmental damage against Nieves del Chapelco S.A. This is due to the [felling of lenga trees](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/la-sequia-que-vive-brasil-en-mas-de-la-mitad-de-su-territorio-es-a-causa-de-la-deforestacion/) in an area identified as yellow in the Forest Law.
In this case, it encompasses the company in general, while the case for damages is directly aimed at Adrogué.
For now, there is a precautionary measure for Nieves del Chapelco S.A. to **cease all deforestation, dismantling**, and removal of assets from the mountain.
Regarding a possible contamination of the site, they are accused of removing the sanitary modules located at the base and at **elevations 1600 and 1700**, “leaving **sewage pipes exposed on the surface**, without safety straps or measures to prevent a possible risk to the environment and wildlife”.
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