Former Indrhi director warns of border crisis due to water shortage

Santo Domingo.- Héctor Rodríguez Pimentel, the former director of the Dominican Institute of Hydraulic Resources (Indrhi), issued a stark warning yesterday regarding the perilous situation unfolding along the Masacre River. He emphasized that the absence of water in the river’s tail end could precipitate a humanitarian catastrophe in regions spanning Dajabón and Montecristi provinces. This dire scenario looms large if a resolution isn’t swiftly devised to counteract the diversion undertaken by Haitians in Juana Méndez.

Expressing his concerns via a press release, Rodríguez Pimentel highlighted the grave ramifications of the dam erected by Haitians, which threatens to desiccate the Masacre River downstream. This alarming development imperils vital agricultural produce like rice, alongside other essential crops. Moreover, cherished ecosystems such as the Saladilla Lagoon and the Manzanillo mangroves, pivotal to local livelihoods in livestock husbandry, fishing, and tourism, face imminent jeopardy.

Drawing attention to the profound reliance of farmers, ranchers, and fishermen in Dajabón and Pepillo Salcedo on the Masacre River’s tailwaters, which ultimately flow into the Atlantic Ocean, Rodríguez Pimentel underscored the urgency of the situation. He forewarned that the adverse effects of water scarcity are poised to ripple through the region imminently, mirroring the humanitarian crisis presently afflicting Haiti.

Voicing dismay over Haiti’s absence of a duly constituted government, Rodríguez Pimentel emphasized the imperative for both nations to engage in constructive dialogue to address the crisis at hand. He lamented the absence of concerted efforts by international bodies such as the Organization of American States and the United Nations in alleviating Haiti’s plight, attributing their neglect to exacerbating an already dire situation verging on irreversibility.

As the president of the Renewal Reformist Party (PRR), Rodríguez Pimentel urged proactive measures to avert an unfolding catastrophe, advocating for collaborative efforts and diplomatic discourse as the linchpins for resolving the crisis and safeguarding the well-being of affected communities on both sides of the border.