Dominican Republic dismantles illegal dam on Yabija River

The Dominican Republic's Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has dismantled an illegal dam built on the Yabija River in the Jaya municipal district of Duarte Province. The operation, supported by the National Environmental Protection Service (SENPA) and the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for the Defense of the Environment and Natural Resources, aimed to restore the river's natural flow.

The demolition follows a court ruling from the Criminal Chamber of the Court of First Instance of the Duarte Judicial District. Judicial documentation revealed that the structures were built without environmental authorization within the riverbed and its protection zone, and that construction continued despite a previous order to stop. The enforcement included removing a gate and demolishing structures within a 30-meter protection strip.

Minister of Environment Paíno Henríquez stated that the operation aligns with Decree 615-26, which designates the protection of natural resources and strategic ecological infrastructure as a national security priority. He emphasized that the state must act to enforce the law and recover affected spaces when illegal structures alter river systems.