The environmental activist Firas Nasfi affirmed this Monday that the protest movements led by the inhabitants of Gabes against the alarming deterioration of the environmental situation “are peaceful and will continue”. He nevertheless stressed that the incident of attempted fire and ransacking of the regional headquarters of the Tunisian Chemical Group remains “isolated and represents only a minority among the protesters”.
Speaking on the airwaves of Jawhara FMNasfi insisted on the seriousness of the pollution caused by the industrial units of the chemical complex, accused of emitting toxic gases directly affecting the health of local residents.
According to him, the residents are demanding immediate stop polluting units, their dismantlingas well as the accountability those responsible for these harmful emissions.
He notably mentioned the dramatic situation of the inhabitants of Chatt Essalem districtwho live daily in air saturated with chemical fumes, preventing them from breathing pure air. “The equipment at the complex is obsolete, at the end of its life, and can no longer contain toxic gas leaks,” he lamented.
The activist also denounced the total absence of local and regional authoritiesno official visit having been recorded to see the extent of the crisis or to propose concrete solutions.
As a reminder, during the night from Saturday to Sunday, the regional headquarters of Tunisian Chemical Group in Gabès was the target of acts of vandalism, including fire and destruction of equipment, in connection with the rise of popular anger against persistent pollution.
Also read: Gabès: Anger in Chatt Essalem after new cases of asphyxiation
