State delivers Cipriano Santos Canal and announces Urban Tree Planting Plan for Belém
Cipriano Santos Canal integrates the Tucunduba Basin and is part of the sanitation project for 13 canals benefiting 500,000 people
The Government of Pará delivered, this Sunday (18), the Cipriano Santos Canal, in the Terra Firme neighborhood, in Belém. This is the third sanitation project completed by the State as a legacy of the COP30 event, which was executed with resources from the State Government and the Federal Government, through BNDES. The investment is part of the structural services of macrodrainage of the Tucunduba Basin, benefiting about 500,000 people in the capital of Pará.
"We no longer throw household sewage directly into the canal. I remember having to redo the flooring of my house three times in less than 20 years because when the canal filled up, the water invaded my house and my business." This testimony is from merchant Jonas Corrêa, 75, who emphasizes that access to sanitation increases property values in the community.
With 1,114 meters, the completion of the work brings improvements to the population. Long-standing flooding problems no longer exist. New water supply networks, drainage, sewage systems, asphalt paving, bike lanes, and the recovery of the canal walls were built, in addition to walkways and bridges.
This Sunday (18), Governor Helder Barbalho congratulated the workers who worked on the Cipriano Santos Canal - the project generated 450 direct jobs. "This is a project that engages with the entire city and benefits the periphery.
"The work delivered this Sunday answers a question about whether COP30 is for the rich, and we are showing that the projects benefit all residents, from the center to the periphery," emphasized the head of the state executive.
Helder Barbalho also highlighted that the current administration is concerned with the flooding problems in the city and is working to solve them. "Belém is surrounded by rivers and cut by igarapés. The city grew around them, and we are working to provide dignity to the population living in these areas," he pointed out.
Vice Governor Hana Ghassan, president of the State Committee of COP30, emphasized that the Cipriano Santos Canal project is part of a set of sanitation works carried out in the watersheds of Tucunduba, Murutucu, Tamandaré, and Una.
"These are projects that are providing better quality of life for the population and allowing people access to services they previously did not have," she said while considering the set of structural works in the capital of Pará.
Having lived on Cipriano Santos Avenue in the Canudos neighborhood for 40 years, Josina Santos recalled, this Sunday, the difficult times. "With the project completed, no house has gone further back, and the rainwater drains more quickly," she said enthusiastically.
The socio-environmental director of BNDES, Tereza Campello, reinforced that the population of Belém is the main beneficiary of the Cipriano Santos Canal sanitation project. "This entire region was experiencing recurring flooding, the population suffered from the lack of sanitation, from lack of water, and we are delivering this complete, transformative project. The people here are the ones who most deserve to benefit from these investments from the Lula government, BNDES, and the Government of Pará," she said.
The Minister of Cities, Jader Filho, also participated in the delivery of the project this Sunday. He reaffirmed the partnership between the Federal Government and the Government of Pará. "The Ministry of Cities also has investments here in the Tucunduba Basin. There are over R$ 120 million to carry out the macrodrainage of the Tucunduba extension. And that's not all. We will also have over 200 homes from Minha Casa, Minha Vida for everyone who is currently living on the banks of the canal, in stilt houses. We will bid for this project in the coming months and make it a reality for the residents of Terra Firme and Guamá," said Jader Filho.
In his speech to the population, the mayor of Belém, Igor Normando, emphasized that the partnership between the state and federal governments and the city hall allowed for the largest reurbanization intervention in the city.
Housewife Rosilda Freitas, 61, highlighted that the delivery of the Cipriano Santos Canal establishes a new route connecting the neighborhoods of Terra Firme, at the height of Avenida Perimetral, and Canudos, at Alameda José Alves.
"With the paved road and no water pooling in the street, we can travel the entire avenue quickly," said Rosilda Freitas. "We are even creating a group to walk every afternoon. Even that the project allowed, so we can take care of our health," she added.
Construction supervisor Manoel Modesto, 56, uses a bicycle as a means of transportation. "Now, biking around here has become easier and safer because of the bike lane. We no longer need to share the same road space with cars and motorcycles. The road is fully signposted," he said.
Investments enhance the urban landscape of Belém
Since 2019, the Government of Pará has invested in the sanitation of 17 canals in the capital of Pará. Of these, 13 are COP30 legacies, an investment of over 1 billion reais in sanitation in the capital of Pará. The works are financed with resources from the state treasury in partnerships with institutions such as Itaipu Binacional, BNDES, and the Federal Government. The initiative reflects a commitment to urban development, preparing the city for international events and promoting greater well-being for the citizens of Belém and visitors.
Third major sanitation project delivered
The Cipriano Santos Canal was delivered this Sunday, three months ahead of the scheduled completion date for the works, which was set for August this year. Governor Helder Barbalho reiterates that these interventions demonstrate the State's commitment to improving the quality of life of the population and solving flooding problems.
In January of this year, the Government of Pará delivered two other sanitation projects in the capital of Pará. The first was the Timbó Canal, in the Marco neighborhood. The canal is over a thousand meters long, and the State rebuilt the canal, paved the streets along its banks, installed the water supply, sewage, and storm drainage networks. Walkways, a bridge, a bike lane, backyard filling, and road urbanization were also constructed.
Also in January, the Government of Pará delivered the Gentil Canal, in the stretch between Rua da Olaria and Travessa Teófilo Conduru, in the Canudos neighborhood, another project legacy from the COP 30 event.
The works were carried out by the State Department of Public Works (Seop) and included the recovery of the canal walls, new water supply and sewage networks, asphalt paving of the side streets, a bridge, two walkways, road urbanization, backyard filling, and a bike lane.
The investments are from the Government of Pará, in partnership with the National Bank for Social Development (BNDES).
New Urban Tree Planting Plan for Belém
During the delivery of the Cipriano Santos Canal, the governor of Pará, Helder Barbalho, announced the creation of the Urban Tree Planting Plan for Belém, which foresees a collective effort for planting trees in public spaces and facilities. "The capital of the forest will be the most tree-filled city in Brazil," he projected.
The initiative involves a partnership between the State, Federal Government, and the City Hall of Belém.
