Leaders of the Ministry of Environment continue their tours in the governorates of the rice straw system to confront bouts of air pollution
Dr. Sherine Fikry, Assistant Minister of the Environment, today, Saturday, accompanied by Dr. Essam Amer, Head of the Branch Affairs Sector, Dr. Maged Al-Sayed, Head of the Central Administration of the Environmental Affairs Agency for the East Delta in Mansoura, and Dr. Magdy Al-Hosary, Head of the Regional Branch of the Environmental Affairs Agency for the Eastern Delta in Mansoura. Environmental Affairs for the Sharkia and Ismailia governorates, inspecting the black cloud control work system in the Dakahlia and Sharkia governorates, passing through the work hubs of the rice straw system, inspecting collection sites, monitoring any open burning sites, and inspecting collection, recycling, and waste disposal sites.
Comes. This is within the framework of the assignments of Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, to the Ministry’s leaders to continuously and field monitor the work of the axes of the system that confronts severe air pollution episodes around the clock, to tighten supervision and control of potential sources of pollution to reduce them, and to follow up on the work of collecting and pressing rice straw in the governorates concerned with rice cultivation. During the harvest season in coordination with the Ministries of Agriculture and Local Development.
Dr. Sherine Fikry began her visit with a field tour in Dakahlia Governorate, during which she inspected the areas of Mansoura, Talkha, Mit Ghamr, Aja, and Sinbillawin, to follow up on the work of collecting, pressing, and transporting rice straw.
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During the Ministry’s leadership’s inspection of the work hubs inside Dakahlia Governorate, 3 cases of open burning of rice straw were monitored in the villages of Mit Ma’and and Shiwa. Immediately, the Axis Committee for Follow-up of Rice Straw Fires in the Aja Center went to these cases and dealt with them with firefighting, and they were released. Reports of environmental violations were issued to the violating farmers. It was also confirmed that the weather condition in the city of Mansoura was stable, the rice crop harvest rates were high, and farmers were collecting and pressing rice straw.
At the end of the tour, Dr. Sherine Fekry stressed the importance of finding appropriate ways to overcome challenges. facing the parties of the system, including farmers, rice straw contractors, and investors, in addition to distributing roles and responsibilities, and the procedures required to avoid any obstacles that may face the implementation of the system during the harvest season, and working to facilitate contractors’ access to the necessary equipment that contributes to collecting and treating agricultural waste, and managing work teams and hubs. Passing through the places that harvest the most rice, thanking all the workers in the black cloud system at the Environmental Affairs Agency for the East Delta in Mansoura for the efforts made to combat the phenomenon of severe air pollution episodes.
Engineer Shaaban Ibrahim, Director of the Agricultural Administration in Sinbillawin, participated in the tour. Engineer Mustafa Al-Baz, Director of Agricultural Extension in Mansoura, Engineer Muhammad Al-Sayed Ali in the Agrarian Reform Zone, Ayman Al-Ghamri, head of the branch’s operations room, Ahmed Lotfy, responsible for following up on open burning areas, and a number of officials from the local and agricultural units in the governorate.
In a related context, During the field tour of the Ministry’s leaders in Sharkia Governorate, Dr. Sherine Fikry inspected the Deirb Najm al-Qanayat axis, where 7 cases of burning were monitored in the area. Immediately, violation reports were issued and the necessary legal measures were taken. A fire of tree pruning waste next to one of the houses was also monitored. The fire was immediately extinguished by the residents in order to preserve the environment and the public health of the citizens.
During Dr. Sherine Fikri’s inspection of the work of the axes, she met with agricultural engineers in the city of Qanayat, to emphasize joint cooperation between the environment and agriculture in confronting the burning of agricultural waste.
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The Ministry’s leaders concluded the tour by passing through the Belbeis Regional Axis and following up on the work of the axis, and ensuring that it fulfills its role in issuing violation reports for those who burn agricultural waste in accordance with Law 202, stressing the importance of cooperation with the concerned authorities in the governorate during this period to fully control the open burning of waste. Educating farmers about the value of agricultural waste and its economic importance in opening labor markets for young people, a source of income, and a new field of investment for them.
