The highest Party and Government authorities of Havana visited this June 5 the settlement located on the grounds of the old La Polar factory, right on the border of the municipalities of Cerro, Marianao and Plaza de la Revolución, to check the sanitation work of the Almendares River, after the collapse of an iron bridge, as a consequence of the intense rains of last Friday, June 3.

In the work tour carried out by Luis Antonio Torres Iríbar, first secretary of the Provincial Committee of the Party in the capital, and the Governor of the city, Reinaldo García Zapata, with the presence of the municipal authorities of the territories involved, the arduous sanitation work undertaken by workers and directors of the Ministries of Construction, Transport, Energy and Mines, among other agencies that work together.

Torres Iríbar indicated to the officials the need to work intensely on cleaning the drains. In turn, he exchanged, together with the Governor, in a pleasant dialogue with residents of this community, where they were interested in their situation and explained the actions that are being carried out.

To learn about the tasks that are carried out in the place, Tribuna de La Habana spoke with two of the representatives of the companies involved in the work.

Reynier Valdés Acosta, director of Technical Transportation Services, belonging to the Recycling Business Group, commented that his entity has focused since the call made by the Party and the Government in the municipality, to the dismantling of the collapsed bridge, severing the metal structure and extracting it from the place that caused the waters of the river not to flow, causing floods in the community of El Fanguito.

He stressed that since Saturday the brigade for the dismantling of elevated structures, the only one of its kind in the country, has been present, carrying out the sanitation work, which must finish between today or tomorrow; also providing a positive and rapid response to any call from the Revolution in contingencies like these, and the one that happened at the Hotel Saratoga.

He stressed that several entities participate in the extraction of metal structures, forming a multidisciplinary team such as Cubiza, Communal, Aguas de La Habana, among others.

For his part, Miguel Enrique Céspedes, director of the Base Business Unit (UEB) of Izaje CUBIZA in Havana "Armando Mestres Martínez", explained that first the evaluation of the work to be undertaken and the technique that was needed was carried out. The most difficult part must be completed this Sunday, that of ridding the river of metal debris from the previous bridge that was a railway bridge converted into a pedestrian crossing.

“It was very large, so it had to be chopped to remove it in pieces and release it into the river, one part was withdrawn by the Marianao part and another by the Cerro, moving from the place by the colleagues from Raw Materials, he explained.

“It is a dangerous, difficult, complex job; Firstly, the colleagues from the electric company made the necessary interruptions taking into account affecting the population as little as possible; the complexity is also given that work is being carried out in the water, the metal is very corrupted, terrain conditions with houses on both sides, electric cables, it is being carried out with all the security measures and guaranteeing that the work is with the quality that is required without regretting accidents”, he said.

Visibly moved and proud, he concluded his words by saying: “Once again it has been shown that we are a united people, objectively we have problems that we Cubans are going to solve without anyone coming from outside to do it or tell us how to do it, we have the will to resolve things and in circumstances like these we merge into one thing, into a people, into Cubans.”

Taken from Tribune of Havana

Photos: Aylin Herrera Reyes of the Cuban News Agency

Edition: Digital Editorial Portal of the Government / MSCG