Applications for "Eco-Village, Clean Village" programme run from February 1 to March 15
The Regional Secretary for Energy, Environment and Tourism announced today that applications for the "Eco-Village, Clean Village" programme, open to all Azorean parish councils, will run between February 1 and March 15.
Marta Guerreiro stressed that the 2020 Investment Plan provides for an allocation of 450 thousand Euros for financial support under this programme, besides the support for the acquisition of equipment for the best "My Stream" projects in the amount of 50 thousand Euros.
"We continue this programme as it is, year after year, an efficient strategy in mobilising everyone towards the protection of our environmental heritage," stressed the government official.
Marta Guerreiro spoke on the sidelines of the visit to a section of Ribeira da Lajinha stream located in the parish of Maia, São Miguel Island, whose intervention was carried out under the "My Stream" project.
“We are here today because the Parish Council of Maia submitted the best application for the 2019 "Eco-Village, Clean Village" programme on the island of São Miguel, having already received the award of excellence in 2018,” said the Secretary Regional.
According to her, “this is a good example of the implementation of the programme as well as of the Government's close collaboration with Local Authorities, the ones that are closest to the populations.”
Promoted by the Regional Directorate for the Environment, the "Eco-Village, Clean Village" programme is primarily intended to recognise and distinguish the efforts of parishes and the collaboration of the populations in the cleaning, removal and the forwarding of waste removed from public spaces to the appropriate final destination, including water lines and coastal areas. Moreover, this initiative is also aimed at the development and participation in environmental awareness and education programmes and actions.
The "My Stream" project ensures the monitoring and maintenance of the cleaning conditions and normal drainage of water lines. In turn, the "Clean Coast" project intends to encourage municipalities to mobilise their populations for the monitoring and cleaning of coastal areas by identifying one or more stretches of coast that require monitoring and cleaning interventions.
The registration process is free; the rules and registration forms are available at http://ecofreguesia.azores.gov.pt from Friday.
For questions and other information about the contest, those who are interested should email the Regional Directorate for the Environment at [email protected].