An anti-basin organization fires a construction company

A fire broke out early Monday morning in a construction company in Vendée, affecting at least eight construction machines, an act claimed by the AFP by an organization opposed to “basins”.

A fire broke out early Monday morning, November 25, 2024 in the courtyard of a construction company of Vendée, touching at least eight construction machines according to the firefighters, a act claimed to the AFP by an organization opposed to “basins“, these famous irrigation reserves controversial.

To date, the plain of South Vendée has 25 of these basins.

What is a megabasin?

THE megabasins are gigantic water storage structuresartificial, plasticized and waterproof ponds intended to meet the needs of the agro-industry, particularly in the summer period. A megabasin extends on average over an area of ​​eight hectares, the equivalent of around ten football fields, and the largest can extend over 18 hectares.

Officially named “replacement reserves“, ces megabasins are supposed to fill during the winter period in order to allow farmers to continue to irrigate their crops during periods of high pressure on water demand, such as on periods of droughtFor example. For theagro-industry and public authorities who subsidize them, this is a solution to adapt to climate change.

What happened Monday morning in Vendée?

THE firefighters of Vendée indicated that they had been warned shortly before 4 a.m. of a fire in the premises of the Charpentier public works companyin the commune of L'Oie. Eight heavy goods vehicles and construction equipment were affected by the flames, including six completely charred, noted in the morning a AFP correspondent.

Although gendarmerie criminal identification specialists were on site, the gendarmes refused to comment on theorigin of fire. However, in a e-mail sent shortly after 5 a.m. to the AFP editor-in-chiefan organization presenting itself as “Stop Mégabassines” claimed this action of “disarmament“against the Charpentier company:”Early this morning, November 25, 2024, we set fire to the construction equipment of the Charpentier group, more particularly those of its public works subsidiary.“, in “direct response to the participation of this company in the Méga-Bassines construction sites” in Vendée, Charente-Maritime and in Deux-Sèvres.

The threats of “Stop Megabassins”

According to “Stop Mégabassines”, which could not be reached directly by AFP, “putting these machines out of harm's way makes it possible to concretely stop the construction sites in progress and to remind people that no one responsible for them is unreachable.” And then threaten: “Any actor who will be associated with future Méga-Bassines projects […] will suffer the consequences“.

Requested by AFP Monday morning, the parquet flooring in La Roche-sur-Yon had not been informed of such a claim.

Highlighted by the violence that occurred in March 2023 during demonstrations prohibited in Sainte-Soline (Deux-Sèvres), opponents of “basins” castigate a “hoarding“water by theagro industry.

Source : batirama.com / AFP / Laure Pophillat