The “Voahary Gasy” association warns against oil exploitation’s dangerous effects

The “Voahary Gasy” association (AVG) recommended stopping the exploration and exploitation of non-conventional oil in the sites of Bemolanga and Tsimiroro. According to this association, all activities associated with oil exploration in these two important sites currently bring about harmful effects not only on the environment and biodiversity but also the health of the surrounding communities.

The danger is inevitable. The environmental degradation is considerable in the villages between Maintirano and Morafenobe. This includes the destruction of forest resources and significant decrease of fishery resources. Greenhouse gas emission has tripled, contributing to climate change. In addition, the rivers of Manambao and Ranobe are now highly polluted due to oil exploration in Bemolanga as is the case for the rivers of Manambolomaty and Ankondromena because of the heavy oil exploration in Tsimiroro. Even worse, the exploration that produces toxic smoke also affects human health, causing respiratory and blood diseases and other forms of cancer.

For AVG, the situation is of very alarming. The danger is there. As indicated the by National Coordinator of AVG, Andry Andriamanga, some actions have already been initiated by the association to warn the concerned authorities and companies such as Total and Madagascar Oil on the severity of the damages caused by the exploration of non-conventional oil. The current state of affairs may expose the surrounding communities of the Tsimiroro and Bemolanga sites danger.

Out of the 54% of the area in Madagascar conducive to oil exploration, 45% are already occupied, namely in the western and southwestern part of the country. Oil exploitation activities threaten protected areas including the dry forests “Ala Maika” as well as highly endemic species of flora and fauna.