07/18/2024 – 19:36
The Public Prosecutor’s Office of Mato Grosso do Sul has opened an investigation to investigate alleged environmental damage caused by irregular deforestation at Fazenda Esperança, in Campo Grande, which belongs to the family of singer Michel Teló. The investigation is based on a citation issued by the Mato Grosso do Sul Environmental Institute (Imasul) for the removal of native forest in an area of 1.5 hectares (15 thousand square meters). Teló’s office reported that the farm has already responded to the state MP and the area has been regularized, as requested by environmental agencies.
The farm covers 942 hectares and the singer himself, who is a partner in the property, announced on social media that the family is entering the soybean business. The deforestation was captured in April last year by satellite images.
The Imasul report indicates “deforestation of native vegetation in two distinct areas, totaling 1.596 hectares, of which 0.604 hectares are located in a Permanent Preservation Area, and 0.992 hectares are located in a wetland area of the Permanent Preservation Area, where a tank was built. Both areas are located in the Municipal Environmental Protection Area of the Ceroula Stream basin.”
The fine, worth R$4,000, was imposed in April of last year. In their defense, the Teló family argued that they had presented a Degraded Areas Recovery Project (Prada) that included the Permanent Preservation Area (APP) of the property. In their defense, the owners claimed that “the areas to be recovered represent 0.1% of the property and that the legal reserve has been fully preserved, including an increase in this area.”
The defense of the farm owners requested that the proceedings at the Public Prosecutor’s Office be shelved, since the recovery project was accepted by the environmental agency. To suspend the investigation, the MPMS demanded the formalization of a Conduct Adjustment Agreement (TAC), with payment of compensation for environmental damage and recovery of the deforested area. The terms of the TAC are still being defined.
This year, Fazenda Esperança joined the MS Mais Sustentável program, which supports initiatives to recover deforested areas. On his Instagram page, the singer recently posted about his partnership with an agricultural machinery company to grow grains on the farm.
“I’m here on the farm in Mato Grosso do Sul and this will be my new challenge with my family,” he posted. He also owns a 14,000-hectare farm in Corumbá, in the Pantanal region.
In a statement, Michel Teló’s advisors clarified that, in April 2023, there was an administrative action by Imasul, an environmental agency in Mato Grosso do Sul, for vegetation suppression on the rural property Fazenda Esperança. “His partner and administrator in this venture, César Teló, responded to all requests from the environmental agency for the regularization of the fined area, presenting the Prada – Altered Area Recovery Project (for the 0.604 hectare APP) and corrective licensing (for the area without special protection of 0.992 hectare),” he said in a statement.
Furthermore, according to the note, a response was sent to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which opened an investigation into the same fact, attaching all documents proving the regularity of the area and property. “All regularization of the area in question was carried out as requested by the environmental agencies,” it stated.
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