Podemos Cieza: "The 'Protect Yourself from Smoke' campaign is an insult to public health."

The general secretary of Podemos Cieza, Piedad Abellán, adds, "Both the burning of agricultural waste in general and the burning of straw bales in particular have been prohibited by resolution since March 21 of this year, 2019. We therefore do not understand this campaign that directly ignores regional laws."

The resolution issued by the competent authorities of the Region of Murcia on March 21, 2019, expressly prohibits the burning of agricultural waste (except where there is a risk of pests and with prior authorization) and the burning of straw bales to mitigate frost, a practice that has proven ineffective and highly polluting.

“We consider this campaign launched by the Cieza City Council to be truly absurd,” continues Piedad Abellán. “It is incomprehensible that the City Council, whose obligation is to ensure compliance with current legislation and the protection of the health of the entire population, ignores the laws and delegates its responsibilities to the citizens.”

Other city councils, such as that of the capital of Murcia, have imposed nearly 300 fines so far this year for non-compliance with burning regulations. In Cieza, one of the towns in the region most affected by these practices and cited in the prohibition resolution as one of the areas with the greatest impact on air quality during these practices, the city council is proposing that we not leave our homes, that we do so with a damp cloth over our breathing holes, or that children in schools remain locked up and not allowed to go outside.

The Podemos spokesperson concludes: "It is unacceptable that campaigns are directed toward those who suffer the consequences and not toward those who cause the episodes of environmental toxicity. That is why we ask the Cieza City Council and the departments involved in this campaign to rectify their strategy and focus it on the sources of emissions, enforcing current regulations. The council's duty is to work for the general well-being, seeking alternative solutions for the agricultural sector that do not harm its work and are also respectful of health."