The Rikavac River Canyon, a popular canyoning destination visited by a large number of tourists, has been facing the problem of illegal dumping of waste and animal remains for months. A particularly disturbing sight was found a few days ago, when three full bags were found in the canyon, which, according to a canyoning guide, contained Darko Pepđonović, dogs and puppies were killed.
Pepđonović claims that since April, dead livestock, offal, bulky waste, refrigerators, tires and garbage bags have been dumped at the same location five times, and the last time - this September - three sacks full of killed puppies and dogs. The Municipality of Bar states that they have reported the case to the police and the veterinary inspection, but that to date they have not received any feedback on the measures taken.
He told "Vijesti" that this problem has been recurring for years and has intensified in the last five months, but that it reached its gruesome peak a few days ago when dead or mutilated dogs were found in the Bunar-Rikavac canyon.
"First it was goats, then sheep and sheep's offal and wool, a large amount of bulky waste, refrigerators, tires, garbage bags, and the last time, what was really disturbing was that there were three full bags of killed dogs and puppies," Pepđonović told the newspaper.
He points out that a similar situation has been happening for several years, but that it has never been as pronounced as it was this year, and assesses that the situation is alarming. He also says that each time so far, they, from the canyoning sports team, have repaired it at their own expense and with their own good will.
"It's already becoming very problematic because it's a popular canyoning destination. A large number of people come and visit the Rikavac Canyon and we're sending a negative image abroad because when guests come and see something like that, they're horrified and we don't know how to explain it to them and what to say," he said.
The problem, he adds, is not only in the sight that greets visitors, but also in the possible consequences for the environment because, as he stated, an unpleasant smell spreads and the "Kajnak" water source is located a few hundred meters away.
Pepđonović contacted the Municipal Police and the Bar Municipality Inspectorate several times, but, as he claims, no one came to the scene, so he submitted photographs and information about what was found in the canyon, while the service told the newspaper that they had forwarded the report to the competent inspectorates and authorities.
Five days ago, the interviewee says, he was summoned by the Police Directorate to give a statement in his capacity as a citizen regarding a post he made on Facebook, so he told the Bar Security Center what he had seen and when.
At the end of September, he drew attention to these misdeeds on his Facebook profile and wrote that for years they have been trying to position Bar on the world map as a perfect canyoning destination (as many as five canyons), as a phenomenal place for an active vacation, with over 200 kilometers of well-maintained hiking trails "with the most beautiful viewpoints and a beautiful magical coastline (Lake Skadar and the Adriatic Sea)", but that, no matter how much they try, someone wants to "throw it all down the drain".
WATER IS ALSO ENDANGERED
That the problem can be serious from the aspect of water and environmental protection is evidenced by one of the earlier cases when, as Pepđonović told "Vijesti", such a quantity of entrails was once thrown into a canal that worms and certain parasites appeared in the water.
They then contacted "Water and Sewerage" Bar to provide them with the necessary chemicals to repair it. However, the municipal company was unable to accommodate them, and Pepđonović says he understands them because the procedure is such that water sampling and testing must first be done so that it can be treated.
They didn't stop there because, according to him, they also contacted the "Communal Enterprise" of Bar, which he says has always been accommodating, and they asked them to install video surveillance at that location.
As for them, they immediately contacted us and offered to help as much as they could. We asked them to install cameras at the aforementioned location, but that is problematic because permission from the Personal Data Protection Agency is required, and it cannot be obtained because it is not a container location, nor could a container be installed there because it is not feasible.
The location where the waste is dumped, according to him, allows unscrupulous citizens to throw away what they want almost unhindered because it is a 20 to 25 meter cliff, above which there is a road, and that is where those who he ironically calls "benefactors" come, open the trunk, throw out what they wanted and move on.
Asked if they had ever caught anyone in the act, he replied that "unfortunately they haven't" but that they would know what to do if that happened and would inform all the authorities.
A particularly disturbing incident occurred just as the dogs were being thrown into the canyon, and that day, as the interviewee of "Vijesti" says, he had passed through that part of the canyon with a group at around 12 o'clock and the terrain, apart from bulky waste, was clean. A little over four hours later, a colleague contacted him and said that he had spotted three sacks.
"In the evening he sent me the first photos, and in the morning, in the light of day, they recorded with video recordings and better photos what they found in the sacks - puppies and adult dogs," said Pepđonović, describing it as "simply horrible."
He recounted that the first time they found sheep entrails, they were with a group of Englishmen in a canyon and that it was a scene that ruined everyone's experience of natural beauty, and he called the sight of sacks with dead dogs "a real horror."
They will continue to monitor the terrain and monitor the situation, and with "Communal Services", as the interlocutor said, they are now negotiating a joint action to remove bulky waste from that part of the city - the Public Utilities Company offered some of the machinery that can access the location, while guides would descend into the canyon and try to extract what can be extracted from the discarded items.
When it comes to dead livestock and other animals, Pepđonović emphasizes that the procedure is much more complicated, because there are legally prescribed rules on the treatment and disposal of this type of remains, in order to prevent the spread of infection.
However, he emphasizes that they have been doing this at their own expense so far and that they decided to allocate their own funds to get them out of the watercourse.
Pepđonović also provided the editorial team with disturbing videos showing dead animals, or their parts, as well as large black garbage bags from which adult dogs fell out when they fell.
CASE FORWARDED
The Municipality of Bar responded to "Vijesti" that on September 19, an initiative was received through the call center of the Municipal Police and Inspection Service regarding the report of dog corpses thrown into the Rikavac riverbed, in the place of Spila.
"Following the initiative received on the same day, the company DOO 'Komunalne djelatnost Bar' was notified, which, pursuant to Article 80 of the Decision on Communal Order in the Territory of the Municipality of Bar, is obliged to collect dead animals every morning, and if necessary during the day, and take them to a designated location," the Municipality stated.
They add that, given the established circumstances, on September 21, the Municipal Police and Inspection Service addressed the Police Directorate, the Bar Central Bank, as well as the Veterinary Inspector of the Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs Directorate with requests for inspection supervision.
According to the Municipality, these bodies have been designated as actually responsible for acting and determining significant circumstances, and "to this day, this Service has not received any feedback on the measures and actions taken," they told the editorial office.
Pepđonović said that, according to his information, no one from the Veterinary Inspection went to the scene to see what was going on, and he concludes and claims this is due to the fact that the problematic location would have to be reached with the help of a guide and special equipment, because the terrain is inaccessible, and they had already made themselves available to the services for that assistance.
"Vijesti" expects answers from the Veterinary Inspection - the Directorate for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, which is run by Vladimir Jokovic, about this case and their devastation.
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