Environmental Disaster in Oulad Taounza… Waste Smoke Chokes Residents and Officials’ Silence Worsens the Crisis

Correspondent from Aknoul – Taza

The residents of Douar Oulad Taounza, in the Southern Iksnaya Commune, Taza Province, have endured suffocating nights due to toxic smoke emitted from an illegal waste dump that is repeatedly burned near residential areas, a scene that has become both familiar and distressing.

According to local testimonies, the rising smoke has caused cases of suffocation and breathing difficulties, especially among children, the elderly, and asthma patients, amid a complete absence of any official intervention or preventive measures.

The environmental crisis in the area is further aggravated by the continuous flow of untreated wastewater into a natural stream, threatening the soil and groundwater in a region that relies heavily on agriculture as a primary source of livelihood.

Despite repeated complaints from residents to the relevant authorities, no effective response has been recorded, raising urgent questions about the responsibility of the commune, local authorities, and the environmental and forestry departments in Aknoul.

The residents’ demands are clear:

• Immediate closure of the illegal waste dump
• Establishment of a wastewater treatment plant in accordance with environmental standards
• Deployment of a regional committee to inspect the site and take immediate action
• Opening an investigation into the causes of negligence and holding those responsible accountable

These demands are grounded in Article 31 of the Kingdom’s Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to a healthy and safe environment. Will the concerned authorities act before the disaster spirals out of control?

From the site: Fès News