Parliamentary Sub-Committee on the Environment is to meet Wednesday to receive a visit from Environment Vice Minister for Planning & Administration

Venezuela's Parliamentary Sub-Committee on the Environment is to meet tomorrow, Wednesday, at 8:00 a.m. to receive a visit from Environment Ministry (MinAmb) deputy minister for planniing and administration, Merlin Garcia.

Heading the agenda will be a hearing on the problems surrounding small-scale and artesanal mining invasions associated with the Imataca Rainforest in southeastern Bolivar and current regulations governing the use of national park reserves as well as to review the situation in which illegal workings are already causing substantial damage to the environment.

The full plenary session of the Environment Commission will begin at 10.00 a.m. during which it is planned that a special sub-commission delegation be approved to visit the areas most affected by environmental damage and the amount of poisons washed into the Rio Orinoco from illegal mininig along its tributaries.

That visit is expected to take place on Thursday and Friday (June 19-20).