Clashes at the El Inga landfill, in the northeast of Quito, left three people injured

On the morning of this Tuesday, January 25, 2022, incidents between residents of the Pifo parish and agents of the National Police, on the outside of the El Inga Sanitation Landfill, northeast of Quito.

Preliminarily, the villagers reported that Two people were seriously injured after the confrontation with the police. From the Body of Control Agents they confirmed a officer with a head injury.

The inhabitants of the communities surrounding this landfill (El Inga, El Belén, Itulcachi and Santa Ana) They closed the passage of one lane of the E35 road, in the direction of Sangonquí – Pifo as a claim against the strong odors and pollution that gives off this place that receives the garbage of the capital.

The residents stationed themselves outside the landfill from Sunday January 23, however, this Tuesday the first clashes by not allowing the entry of eight bathtubs (trucks) that transported solid waste.

Gonzalo Cumbal, resident of El Inga pointed out that protest measures will continue until the mayor Santiago Guarderas Go to the sector and listen to the requests of the inhabitants. In addition, they requested departure of the manager of the Municipal Company for Comprehensive Solid Waste Management (Emgirs), “the lady has not listened to us, she is firing our colleagues from the community who work there,” he stressed.

However, a statement from Emgirs maintains that held a session with the residents of the communities surrounding areas to report on the processes they maintain in the landfill.

“The Sanitary Landfill has technical studies carried out in 2017 and updated in October 2021 that validate its design and use to receive the 2,200 tons of waste that are produced daily in Quito,” says the text.

“We are already tired of bad smells, flies, rats, We can’t live like this,” he said. Hernán Caiza, Inhabitant of Itulcachi.

Caíza maintains that polluted rivers and ask the communities for reparation. “There is no longer space and they continue to throw the garbage here, we want them to close this landfill,” he added.

For its part, Henry Baptist, deputy commander of the National Police in the DMQ argued that three verbal requests were made for them to withdraw and do not block the road. However, given the refusal of the people they did progressive use of force in order to clear the path of the bathtubs.

“A metropolitan agent was injured with a cut to the head, a shield is red and a person is detained”Baptist added.

From the Emgirs communication department they informed this newspaper that as a result of the attacks, vehicles also have damage (broken glass) and staff working at the landfill were beaten. (I)