A fifteen activists are heading towards the Chercoute water catchment“empty pesticide containers” by hand, a water catchment located in a “Natura 2000” protected area. This place of drinking water catchment can also be used in the event of a break in the structure for the SEV17 basin, located a few hundred meters and surrounded, according to environmental protection associations, by fields treated with pesticides or glyphosate.
– Sarah D’Hers
The day after the commissioning of the first “basin” of Poitou, this is not an action of civil disobedience. “There are several environmental damages in this sector, look at these orange lands, a sign of the prohibited presence of glyphosate“points to Julien le Guet.”They cannot be allowed to contaminate land and drinking water, for example by reproducing what happened at La Clavette near La Rochelle where carcinogenic molecules were found“ adds the spokesperson for the anti-basin collective during this press conference on Friday May 6.
– Sarah D’Hers
“Bedpans are not a cure for dryness” recalls Joëlle Lallemand, president of the Deux-Sévrien association Apieee – Association for the protection, information and studies of water and its environment.
Gathering under high surveillance
For fear of damage, the prefecture of Deux-Sèvres has deployed a large device, about thirty gendarmes, vans near the water reservoir and a helicopter.
– Sarah D’Hers
Ultimatum against future bedpans
Environmental defense associations are already planning new awareness-raising actions in the run-up to the legislative and mostly issue an ultimatum. “Actions of civil disobedience will be organized if work begins for the other water reservoirs“ warns the Bassines spokesperson Non Merci!. The next reservoir that must be built is those of Sainte Soline.
They also announce that a “alternative citizen project” is being developed with concrete solutions to preserve water and build sustainable agriculture. This will be submitted to the Community of agglomeration of Niortais during the next public inquiry at the end of the year, specify the associations.