By LITO RULONA, Correspondent The City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro) has conducted its own version of Oplan Tokhang against residence in hinterland barangays who they suspect to be engaged in illegal mining along Cagayan River and Iponan River, the city. They decided to conduct their own version of Oplan Tokhang after they were able to recover at least two sets of pumping machines and mining equipment hidden in a wooded area near the rivers. Clenro chief Edwin Dael told Gold Star Daily they will intensify their campaign against illegal mining operators following reports that miners have resumed their operations in the city’s hinterland villages. He said they are focusing more on tributaries of Iponan River considering that it has been a long-drawn battle between illegal miners and the local government units of Cagayan de Oro City and Opol town in Misamis Oriental “Naa pani sila after we get the 18 to 24 horsepower water pump nga ilang gitago sa lasang plus the other week we (got) two other water pump hidden in some areas,” he said. Dael said this time it would become a strict implementation and possibly arrest after the regional office of the Department of Interior and Local Government spearheaded the so called Oplan Tokhang against illegal miners. He said the drive has already started along Barangay Cauyunan and Limonda inside the municipality of Opol. “The more karon atong kampanya against illegal mining operation after we received information that around 10 to 15 percent of mining operations have resumed, again endangering the health of the Iponan River,” Dael said. He said their monitoring team and other concerned groups cited the increase of turbidity of the Iponan and Cagayan rivers which may have been due to mining. “Karon after they learned of the Operation Tokhang on mining mibalik na gayud ang alibyo sa Iponan river after Environmental Mining Board latest water laboratory test confirmed much improvement,” he stressed. Because of this development, Dael is thankful to Technical Education and Skills Development Authority provincial director Leo Velez who vowed to implement skills training for dairy goat production on the affected areas. “By January (next year) this will start the skills training on hinterland barangays to replace gold mining related activities. One week, kining gatas sa kanding makasapi na sila kay naa pud kita’y partner nga Highland Fresh Cooperative and Processing Plant nga maoy mopalit sa ilang produkto kada semana,” he said.