When millions of animals exposed or presumed to be exposed to foot-and-mouth disease were culled and buried late last year and early this year, the potential leakage from the burial sites and its pollution of ground water were of great environmental and health concern.
That fear has become a reality. Moreover, the Ministry of Environment, which conducts tests on 300 new sites each quarter, is accused of attempting to cover up its discovery of the leakage. Quoting a report from the ministry, the parliamentary Committee of the Environment and Labor says that body fluid was confirmed to have seeped from one third of the burial sites examined from July to September ― 105 sites to be exact.
What is alarming is that the number of vulnerable burial sites is on the rise. According to the ministry report, the tests confirmed contamination at 26 burial sites in the first quarter and another 78 from April to June.
The ministry, withholding its findings from public view, had maintained that no ground water has been contaminated by the burial sites. It denies a cover-up, making the dubious claim that more tests are needed to confirm whether the contamination was from burial sites or other sources, such as cow sheds and pigsties. It also says it has alerted municipalities about the potential environmental damage and advised they take precautionary measures.
The ministry says it will conduct a detailed analysis after running another round of tests during the fourth quarter and make its findings public in February or March. But the laid-back approach is beyond comprehension, and all the more so, given that the number of compromised burial sites is growing.
The ministry needs to take a hands-on approach before it is too late. There is no time to waste.
First of all, the ministry has to make public all the information it has obtained and start work to limit the damage immediately. It cannot leave the job entirely in the hands of municipalities.
The ministry is also well advised to address the grievances of nearby residents. In addition, it has to consult with environmental activists who have been monitoring the health problem since the government started to dig pits for diseased cows, pigs and other animals.
