The project to establish a quarry to produce building materials raises concerns among local residents and attracts rejection from civil society organizations.

Agadir 24 | Agadir24

Residents of the “Athnain Addai” community in the Tiznit province expressed their fears regarding the negative effects that may result from establishing a quarry for the production of building materials in the “Amaguz” valley in the same community.

Following the announcement of the opening of public research into studying the environmental impact of the project, residents expressed their concern regarding the potential negative impact of this quarry on the local environment, and the same applies to components of civil society interested in development, the environment, and mountain tourism in the region.

In this context, the Adrar Association for Mountain and Ecotourism issued a statement in which it expressed its absolute rejection of this project, alerting the responsible authorities that the Amagouz Valley is considered an important natural site with its environmental, cultural and geological diversity, and it is one of the main tourist gateways to the region linked to the “Tafraout” and “Tanalet” communities. In addition to the fact that the headquarters of the Adrar Association for Mountain and Eco-tourism and the tourism project “Dar Ajkal” are located in the region, they are together among the main sources of tourism in the region.

The association confirmed in its written statement dated April 5, 2024, that this project will lead to changing the nature of the “Amaguz” Valley and polluting its water, including the groundwater on which the local population depends, in addition to affecting the environmental diversity and trees surrounding the area.

The same association expressed its standing side by side with the local population affected by the material, moral and psychological damage that will be caused by the permanent quarry project for the production of building materials, especially those that will be harmed by the lack of groundwater, and by the noise that the project will cause to residents of the area adjacent to the Amagoz Valley.

Accordingly, the association called on local authorities and guardians to intervene to review the decision to establish a permanent quarry project to produce building materials and to consider the potential negative environmental and social impacts.

On the other hand, the same association called on the various stakeholders to work to protect the local environmental and plant heritage, which falls within the framework of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Argan, especially since the project threatens the life of the Argan tree and the rare Ajkal tree, according to its statement.