Análise de uma iniciativa de valorização de rios e lagoas em áreas urbanas: Programa Águas do rio ( Guardiões dos rios ).

Abstract

The worry with water resources has increased in urban areas. The dumping of solid waste is common and done by riverside populations which favor the occurrence of flood, the increasing of vectors, the spread off illnesses and the population´s refuse to care for the rivers. In this context, programs that include garbage, water resources and riverside population have been the aim of lots of government initiatives. The objective of this research is to assess the results of one of them: the City Program of making rivers and lakes worthwhile The River Waters of Rio ("The River Guardians") that was developed by the city hall of Rio de Janeiro from April from 2001 to March of 2008. The program tried to form an alliance with technical order, public health and of social interests to the population for using local labor to maintain the river to aim taking the garbage of the river, generally in small areas, with the adequate maintenance of the bank and surrounding areas of rivers. From interviews and questionnaires given to 27 labor fronts, a positive result has been brought to the Program had been introduced: the fall of flood and vectors and also the improvement of the urban view. However, people realized a profound unhappiness with the Program break, related mainly to the wrong usage of some politicians (the out of control enlargement of the Program with of technical withdraw) and the management transfer to a municipal institution that did not maintain this program working. It´s been concluded that the Program The River Guardians is a creative initiative of emergencial actions in urban rivers, at municipal level, that combines the taking off rivers garbage, a social work and environmental education campaigns in the communities.