resounding success of the demonstration in Castellanos de Villiquera against the implementation of a biogas plant in the municipality

A new citizen protest related to biogas has taken place in Salamanca. This time it was the municipality of Castellanos de Villiquera which has welcomed its own neighbors and those from the surrounding area, in what is another example of rejection of the implementation of biogas plants. In the square next to the town’s Town Hall, where the protest took place, there was not room for a single other person. Children, adults, entire families in the same place.

To this union between municipalities It has been referred to for a good part of the day. In the first, David Vaquero, a local resident, has already begun his intervention, megaphone in hand, exactly like this, appealing for such cooperation: “This does not only affect Castellanosbut to all the surrounding towns.” Hence, they want to stay strong together.

Horns, whistles, applause and chants They have accompanied each of the interventions, sometimes even overlapping with the words of their representatives. “No to pollution”, “health is not for sale”“take the plague where it doesn’t bother” or “the town is worth more than all the biogas” are some of the phrases that have become recurring.

One of the representatives who also wanted to mobilize in this municipality has been Ruper, from Cuidemos Villamayor, who did not want to miss the opportunity to “request the Board for the total and absolute stoppage of these projects“. Without forgetting to call “the rest of the parties that demand it too.”

He also explained that the implementation of the biogas plant implies “18 jobs in the plant, plus 50 in the works, the transit of 70 trucks to transfer the consumption of a factory that does not stop working all day”, with what this entails for the municipality, “Not to mention health problems: headaches, imsonium, stress.” And, once again, he has called for unity, because “no one is free from this.”

For her part, Susana from Biogás Machacón has assured that “it is a pleasure to see so many people here. Unity is strength“. He recalled that “the institutions are not on our sides”, which is why help has to come from each other. “It is not going to be easy for them to come and plunder us.”

That was the moment in which she wanted to highlight not only the presence of neighbors like her, from other places, but also from Zamora, a group of neighbors from El Cubo de Tierra del Vino. A large amount of applause and more shouts have been dedicated to them. “Because you are not alone,” says Susana.

She has also mentioned that “companies want to present them as beneficial and circular economy”, but that is not the case and that “the secrecy with which they arrive demonstrates it”, in reference to one of the main complaints: feel like they are not being informed. Neighbors of the municipality claim that they found out about this project through the Platform and a few days after the deadline to be able to present allegations.

“In rural areas we have resources for sustainable projects that do not put us in danger,” he defended, just before calling the institutions again, because “they are there to protect us, not for big companies. They put our health at risk and our lives at risk.” “They are not going to take away our present and future. Let’s build it from the towns“, he exclaimed, before some neighbors who did not hesitate to cheer again: “Neither in your town nor mine”, another of the recurring songs.

A neighbor of Vandunciel Causeway, one of those municipalities that would also notice the consequences of a plant in Villares de Villaquera (“just like Valverdón, Villares de la Reina and many others”), also wanted to speak out, remembering that “we are not activists, nor do we have political goals, we are just neighbors who are affected by all this that harms our health.” He was the one who explained how they did not find out about this project through the institutions.

“It will not bring wealth, even if they want us to believe it,” says who recognizes that “we are in a vulnerable zone,” which makes them “be worried, we look around us and what it would entail. Native species, water, an area protected by its legumes. “How will our crops be affected? We don’t know”; They claim that what the plant entails has not been sufficiently taken into account. Therefore, appeal to politicians (even shouts have been heard against the mayor of the municipality on several occasions) to rectify the social representatives “that they listen to us and be brave in defending us.”

All this is what has led not only to the citizen protest this Saturday, but also to the neighbors taking a step forward: once the megaphones were released, it was explained to the neighbors that wants to form an association and they have been encouraged to “take off the gloves” to write down their details and join together on behalf of the people.

The Citizen Platform Stop Biogas Castellanos de Villiquera. An “open, plural and peaceful neighborhood initiative regarding the project to implement a biogas plant in the municipality of Castellanos de Villiquera, which would also affect nearby municipalities such as Calzada de Valdunciel, Forfoleda, Valverdón, Aldeaseca de la Armuña, Monterrubio and Villares de la Reina.” Because they want to vindicate the right of citizens to decide about their future.