New Quarry in Khémisset Sparks Local Outrage and Flood Concerns

The operating contract for this yellow earth quarry called "Toufna" is denounced by farmers and residents of several neighboring douars of the Oued Tanoubert, in Khémisset, reports Assabah. All were surprised to see the quarry operator arrive on the site despite the strict measures enacted during the state of health emergency to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic. Worse, the inhabitants and owners of the agricultural land bordering the wadi were not even aware of it.

For the farmer and community activist, Lahcen Ahssissou, the planned work raises fears of possible damage to the lands overlooking the Wadi, whose recession had already caused huge losses to the growers. According to him, this quarry adds to the troubles of the inhabitants of the neighboring douars, whose agricultural lands are often submerged by the mud of clay and sand drained by the overflowing of the Wadi.

As a consequence, it could also have an impact on the environment, as it risks destroying the trees that constitute a natural obstacle against soil erosion. According to environmental studies carried out in recent years, this area is often threatened by floods in the absence of the planned dam.

Aware of the danger hanging over their crops, the farmers have filed a complaint against the quarry operator. According to the same daily, this complaint filed by the producers reveals that the preliminary work undertaken by the company holding the quarry raises fears of considerable damage to the bridge level.

For the signatories of the complaint, the ongoing excavations risk flooding the bridge in the event of an increase in the flow of the Wadi. The farmers in the region plead for the cessation of the work and the withdrawal of this permit and the opening of an investigation into the procedures for awarding this contract during the confinement period.