on Wednesday announced the formation of a crisis committee in the face of the oil spill witnessed in Lima's Ventanilla district, intending to work in an articulated manner to remedy this ecological disaster which affects marine fauna in the area.
"We are very concerned about the issue; we have been taking actions, trying to move forward with concrete actions and today, at the Council of Ministers (session), it was decided to form a crisis committee which allows us to work with the sectors (…)," Vasquez told reporters during a press conference.
The Cabinet chief stated that various sectors such as the Ministries of Environment, Agrarian Development-Irrigation, Production, and Foreign Affairs will be part of the committee so as to take coordinated and immediate actions and rely on containment mechanisms.
On January 15, an oil spill was reported in the Ventanilla sea area, as a result of the strong waves recorded along the Peruvian coast following the eruption of an underwater volcano off Tonga in Oceania.
In this regard, the Prime Minister emphasized that this is one of the worst ecological-environmental disasters in recent years, since thousands of oil barrels have been spilled, which affected the coastline directly.
"We have to take urgent action to contain and recover the hydrocarbon, and we are demanding the company to do it immediately. The safe transportation of hazardous and non-hazardous waste generated by the clean-up is being stipulated," she underlined.
Vasquez indicated that non-compliance with the administrative measures will result in the imposition of coercive fines of up to 100 tax units (UIT), and the Environment Ministry's State Attorney will initiate civil compensation claims against those responsible, as appropriate.
"We are interested in the urgency of environmental care, in ensuring that measures are taken to clean up and contain this spill, because this generates effects on the sea and the fauna in this area," she expressed.
The Cabinet chief said that the ministers in charge of implementing the actions are very concerned. In addition, they are working in situ to address this ecological disaster.
(END) JCR/RMB/MVB