Drought in the Amazon: Federal Government announces investment of R$500 million in major works to guarantee safe drainage and navigation, generating employment and income

With an investment of R$500 million, the Federal Government promised works in the Amazon, ensuring the flow of inputs and creating jobs

The president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva participated, this Tuesday (10), in a ceremony to announce emergency measures to combat drought in the Amazon, considered the worst in 45 years. The event took place at the headquarters of the Superintendence of the Manaus Free Trade Zone (Suframa) and was attended by mayors from various counties affected.

Of the 62 municipalities in the state of Amazonas, 61 were officially recognized as being in a state of emergency, allowing for the faster release of federal resources for actions to mitigate the impacts caused by the drought.

The current drought affects around 330 thousand people in the municipalities of the Legal Amazon, where extreme weather conditions also contribute to the increase and intensity of droughts. forest fires.

Investment of R$ 500 million in dredging works

One of the main actions announced by the federal government is the carrying out of dredging and nautical signaling works on the Amazon and Solimões rivers, with the aim of guaranteeing safe navigability and the flow of inputs, essential for the survival of communities and local commerce. The total investment for these works will be R$500 million, distributed over the next five years.

Dredging projects aim to remove sediment accumulated in navigation channels, which became even more critical during the dry season, with the formation of beaches and the emergence of rocks, making it difficult for vessels to pass through.

According to authorities present at the event, dredging will be carried out at specific points, called “critical passes”, where sediment accumulation is most intense. The removed material will be moved to other points along the rivers, respecting environmental requirements.

O Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) has already allocated R$92,8 million for dredging the stretch between Manaus and Itacoatiara, on the Amazon River. Other stretches that will benefit are in the contracting phase, and the final values ​​and the companies responsible will be known after the bidding processes are concluded.

For the stretch between Coari and Codajás, the estimated value for the bidding is R$129,1 million, while the dredging between Benjamin Constant and Tabatinga is expected to receive R$139,8 million. The stretch between Benjamin Constant and São Paulo de Olivença will have an estimated investment of R$112,3 million.

Complementary actions against drought

In addition to investments in river dredging, the federal government also announced other actions to mitigate the effects of drought in the Amazon region. Among them is the dredging of the Madeira Crossing, in Humaitá (AM), with a value of R$7,8 million, and additional dredging of the Madeira River, between Porto Velho (RO) and Manicoré (AM), in addition to the BR-230 crossing, also in Humaitá, with an investment of R$151 million.

Other projects include dredging the Tapajós River Navigation Channel, in the critical stretches between Itaituba (PA) and Santarém (PA), with an estimated value of R$117,3 million. These works are essential to ensure that river routes, crucial for the transportation of goods and supplies, remain open during the dry season.

The current drought in the Amazon is one of the worst ever recorded, seriously affecting the local population and the environment.