For the first time in Colombia, mine clearance specialists use manual, mechanical and canine demining techniques in parallel, in an area that has not been used by the community for 11 years.
The chosen land was the village La Glorieta in the municipality of San Juan de Arama, department of Meta, which is contaminated in 54,000 square meters.
Lieutenant-colonel Juan Carlos Martínez Vera, the commander of the Battalion of Engineers of Humanitarian Demining N. °4, points out that the idea of the implementation of the three techniques is an optimization of time and quality in operations, in turn, he adds: “The land in this polygon is ideal to implement the three techniques, the canine, mechanical and manual; it was the main decision to enter this operation. To date we have 37,000 square meters cleared. In six days of work we have cleared more than 7,000 square meters. What we seek with the implementation of these three techniques is to optimize time. With the manual demining technique was expected to present this zone in 2023, with the implementation of these three techniques we can be talking about the presentation of 54,000 square meters in March next year. The most difficult thing that mine clearance specialists find to enter this type of terrain apart of the climate is the vegetation.”
It is noteworthy that in this operation unmanned mine sweepers are used, which are managed remotely leading to safeguard the good physical condition of the mine clearance specialists.
In this regard, Second Sergeant Iván Vega, leader of the mechanical demining team, states: “The mechanical demining team is made up of a leader and two operators, while one is operating the machine, the other serves as an auxiliary. According to operational procedures, these machines are guarantee for the security measures because it is unmanned and is operated by remote control at a distance of at least 25 meters for safety”.
In the department of Meta, soldiers of the Battalion of Engineers of Humanitarian Demining No. 4, work on the municipalities of Mapiripán, Mesetas, San Luis de Cubarral, and San Juan de Arama.
