Municipal and Ministry of Health omission on sewage treatment in CartagoOmisión municipal y del Ministerio de Salud en el tratamiento de aguas negras en Cartago

II.- PURPOSE OF THE APPEAL.- The appellant alleges that in the Central Canton of Cartago there is a serious sanitary problem due to existing problems in the blackwater treatment systems, which run in the open and are discharged into the rivers, without the institutions involved having taken any action to date, which he considers violates his right to health and to the environment.

III.- ON THE MERITS.- This Chamber finds it proven that there is a sanitary and environmental problem in the community of the Central Canton of Cartago regarding the drainage of blackwater because the stormwater and sanitary sewer system is obsolete and some of the existing treatment plants do not operate adequately, causing foul odors and contamination. Article 21 of the Political Constitution states: "Human life is inviolable." It is from this constitutional principle that the right to health, to physical, mental, and social well-being undeniably derives, a human right that is inextricably linked to the right to health and the State's obligation to protect human life. The State is obligated to take the necessary measures to protect the environment and avoid degrees of contamination that endanger the health of the governed. Precisely, in matters of public health, the State, through its institutions, must always be vigilant of activities potentially harmful to public health, and therefore must exercise constant and effective control.

Given the participation of different administrative entities in this matter, the analysis of the actions of each of them will be conducted separately.

IV.- REGARDING THE ACTIONS OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CARTAGO.- For the case at hand, the Municipal Code obligates the Municipalities of each canton to ensure that the governed are guaranteed the real and effective enjoyment of the right to health and to a healthy environment. From the documents provided to the case file as well as the report given under oath by the respondent Mayor, it indicates that several contracts have been made for the operation and maintenance of various blackwater treatment plants located in residential developments in the San Francisco District, which implies that a sanitary sewer network exists to transport the blackwater to the plant, so they do not run in the open. And in the case of surfacing in the soils, it may possibly be a consequence of the individual treatment systems of each dwelling (septic tank and drainage). Furthermore, he alleges in his defense that the Department of Sanitary Sewerage guarantees the efficient operation of the systems and that the pertinent efforts are being made to obtain the economic resources for the construction of a new sanitary sewer system and aqueduct because the Municipality currently has a limited budget. However, its role should not be limited to contracting treatment plants, but rather its obligation lies in supervising their operation and monitoring the actions of the community members regarding the manner in which they discharge blackwater from their homes or businesses, thus guaranteeing, defending, and preserving the right of all to enjoy a healthy and ecologically balanced environment. The Municipal Code establishes in its Article 75 that, in accordance with the Municipal Regulatory Plan, natural or legal persons, owners or possessors, by any title, of real property, must fulfill certain obligations aimed at ensuring the upkeep and the protection of the environment, whose non-compliance may subject non-compliant persons to the payment of fines, following due process. In the judgment of this Chamber, in this instance the Municipality of Cartago has shown an inability to enforce the laws on the matter and its obligation to guarantee the enjoyment of the inhabitants of the area of a healthy and ecologically balanced environment, with consequences for the health of those persons due to the nature of the sanitary problem afflicting them. Thus, the Municipality of Cartago, having full knowledge of the problems affecting the residents of the canton, has limited itself to verifying their existence and evading its responsibility, without taking the timely actions to mitigate or control it. This Chamber observes that despite the neighbors' complaints and the verification of the sanitary problem that puts human health and the environment at risk, the respondent Municipality has taken no action to solve the problem, limiting itself to indicating that the surfacing of blackwater is possibly due to individual problems and that it is in the process of seeking financing because it lacks resources for the reconstruction of the sanitary drainage system. Thus, it is observed that the Municipality has not even attempted to verify whether all the property owners in those residential areas, or in general the inhabitants of the aforementioned sector, have a septic tank and drainage, or whether they discharge contaminated water into the river, or whether the treatment plants function correctly. Consequently, the Municipality of Cartago has taken no action to determine the existence of the problem and its eventual impact on the sanitary inconvenience insistently revealed by the local neighbors. By virtue of this, the granting of this appeal against the Municipality of Cartago is warranted for the constitutional violation of Articles 50 and 21 of the Political Constitution to the detriment of the appellant and other neighbors of the central canton of Cartago area.

V.- REGARDING THE ACTIONS OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH.- While it is true that the State must respect the rights of individuals, it is also true that it must ensure the well-being of the community. Public Health and environmental protection are principles protected both at the constitutional level (Articles 21, 50, 73, and 89 of the Magna Carta), and through international regulations. In this case, the General Health Law authorizes the Ministry of Health to take the corresponding sanitary measures and impose sanctions, whereby the Ministry of Health not only has the duty to enforce the General Health Law but also to protect public health, qualified as a matter of public interest, since the rights to health and to a healthy environment free of contamination—at least below the limits tolerable for human beings—are fundamental, inalienable rights, and their violation cannot be legitimately consented to. Now, from the report submitted to this Chamber, the respondent Minister states that there is no complaint or any record whatsoever regarding the facts denounced by the appellant, which have come to her knowledge through this amparo appeal, and therefore the Director of the Governing Health Area of Cartago proceeded to issue the corresponding sanitary order instructing the Mayor of Cartago that within two months he must inform them about the conditions of the sanitary sewer network, of the existing blackwater treatment systems, and the projects adopted by said municipality regarding the contamination reported. While the health authority, by reason of its competence, issued an administrative act to obtain information regarding the situation raised, it has gone no further, declining in the exercise of its powers and attributions by not conducting inspections to control that all activity conforms to the legal system and, otherwise, compel those responsible to comply with its orders, because from the content of this case file, this Chamber does not infer that it has conducted inspections to locate the sanitary problems—which are of general knowledge—whether treatment plants in poor condition or neighbors discharging blackwater in the open, so the potential polluters continue carrying out activities contrary to the legal system that harm the environment and the health of the community's inhabitants. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that beyond sanitary order No. ARSC-PPAH of May 31, 2007, no other action by this authority appears in the case file to provide a comprehensive solution to the problem, and therefore, they have failed to fulfill their obligation to protect the population's right to health, and consequently, such omission has caused harm to the fundamental rights of all the inhabitants of the place. It is worth reminding the respondent authority, as was done with the Municipality of Cartago, of its obligation—as part of the State—to guarantee, defend, and preserve the right of all to enjoy a healthy and ecologically balanced environment. In its particular case, this is an even clearer duty, as constitutional protection covers and links the ecologically balanced environment with the fundamental right to health, both on a psychological and physical level, given that the General Health Law number 5395 establishes, in its first article, that the health of the population is a matter of public interest protected by the State, and, in its second article, that it corresponds to the Executive Branch, through the Ministry of Health, to define the national health policy, and to regulate, plan, and coordinate all public and private activities related to health, as well as to execute those activities that fall within its competence according to the law; likewise, it shall have the power to enforce its orders, even with the help of the public force, in protection of the legal interest it is called upon to safeguard.

In a similar case, this Chamber, in judgment No. 20006-08983 of eleven hours sixteen minutes of June twenty-third, two thousand six, held: “This Constitutional Court finds that the Ministry of Health has been negligent in fulfilling its obligations in protection of the right to health of the petitioner and other neighbors of the aforementioned residential development, by not making use of its legal powers in order to definitively solve the sanitary problem that affects them and that they have formally denounced, as it has performed insufficient, untimely, and ineffective activity, which is proven by the fact that the problem persists, having not implemented any action in exercise of the police power it holds by law to enforce its orders. The perception thus remains among the members of this Constitutional Court that it has been the action of a ‘Paper Administration,’ exhausting its activity in mere bureaucratic procedures, simply limiting itself to conducting inspections and issuing recommendations or sanitary orders, without any measure being taken to corroborate that they have been fulfilled, and, what is worse, without effective actions on its part being evident, truly aimed at definitively resolving the sanitary problem presented, as is appropriate to fulfill the public purpose entrusted to it, which results in detriment to health and the environment and, consequently, in violation of constitutional Article 50, a situation that is intolerable for this Chamber.” VI.- CONCLUSION. – In this way, in accordance with what has been set forth in the preceding considerations, it is observed that both the Ministry of Health and the Municipality of Cartago have not acted with the urgency required by the case to provide a temporary or definitive solution to the denounced problem, which is of wide public knowledge. Recently, this Chamber heard an amparo appeal processed under case file No. 07-007076-007, in which facts similar to those analyzed in the present case were denounced, and on that occasion it was alleged that in the community of San Francisco de Aguacaliente de Cartago there is a blackwater treatment plant that does not function correctly nor is it given adequate maintenance, causing foul odors and untreated water to flow in the open, and this Court ordered, by judgment No. 2007-011796, of twelve hours seventeen minutes of August seventeenth, two thousand seven, the following:

"….For that reason, this Chamber finds that the powers and responsibilities held by both the respondent Municipality and the Health authorities have been and continue to be neglected and insufficient, because they did not adopt, before things reached the serious state in which they currently are, the necessary and pertinent measures to guarantee, in the first instance, not only the operation in optimal conditions of that treatment plant for water discharged into the Aguacaliente River; secondly, that while no other option exists, that plant operates with the minimum necessary conditions of maintenance and operation; that the residual waters from the San Antonio de Padúa residential development, which are currently piped and channeled to El Molino creek, receive treatment; that the black and wastewater coming from the sector known as La Pitahaya, which were piped, are also treated so that when they flow into the Agua Caliente River, they do not continue contaminating it, as well as ensuring that the storm drainage systems are in perfect working order, so they do not become obstructed, so that the black, waste, and storm waters cease flowing freely and in the open through all the streets of the city of Cartago; and consequently, these respondent authorities must not continue hiding behind the eternal pretext of lack of economic resources. For these reasons, and in merit of what has been stated, this Chamber finds that both the Municipality of Cartago and the Ministry of Health bear responsibility for the facts denounced by the appellants and are directly responsible for them.

IX.- That being the case, the proper course is to declare the appeal granted, as is hereby ordered, and to order Rolando Alberto Rodríguez Brenes, in his capacity as Municipal Mayor of Cartago, to carry out, at his own expense, the necessary works to provide the Central canton of Cartago, San Francisco District, El Castillo Residential Development (Proyecto San Antonio) with an adequate system of sewerage and blackwater treatment within a period of one year, for which purpose he must immediately pursue the corresponding budget modification if resources are not currently available. To comply with the foregoing, this judgment must be notified to whoever holds the position of Manager of the Area of Remunerated Public Services of the Comptroller General of the Republic, who is ordered not to approve any budget or budget modification for the Municipal Mayor's Office of Cartago if the project does not include the corresponding line item to execute the required works in the Central canton of the province of Cartago to have an acceptable sewerage and treatment system." VII.- This Chamber concludes that in the present case we are facing a serious sanitary problem that affects the environment and the health of the inhabitants of the community of the Central Canton of Cartago; and in reiterated jurisprudence this Chamber has stated that it cannot be accepted that human beings are denied the right to a healthy environment, the right to health, due to the incapacity of the corresponding public authorities to effectively exercise the oversight powers and the solution to the problems granted by law. From the documents and the reports rendered under oath contained in the present case file, it is inferred that the respondent authorities, although they have been aware for years of the problem presented here, as they themselves state that the system is collapsed, have not carried out the necessary acts to guarantee the health of the inhabitants and the protection of the environment. In conclusion, this Chamber finds that the omissions of both the Ministry of Health and the Municipality of Cartago have endangered the right to health of the petitioner, and of the community of Cartago, and in general of all the inhabitants who frequent said place. These respondent authorities are responsible for the harm to the fundamental rights of the protected persons, due to the omission in promptly and effectively safeguarding the health of that population and the environment. The persistence of the problem demonstrates that the actions in exercise of the power of control or oversight deployed in protection of health and the environment by said institutions, within the framework of their competencies, have been clearly insufficient, thus incurring responsibility for omission in the exercise of those powers which, in turn, harms the unnamed or atypical constitutional right of the governed to receive efficient and effective public services. By reason of the foregoing, and in accordance with the provisions of article 29 of the Law of Constitutional Jurisdiction, it is proper to declare the present amparo appeal granted.

Now, from the report submitted to this Chamber, the appealed Minister states that there is no complaint or any record whatsoever regarding the facts alleged by the appellant, which have come to her knowledge through this amparo action. Consequently, the Director of the Health Governing Area of Cartago proceeded to issue the corresponding sanitary order, ordering the Mayor of Cartago to report back within two months on the conditions of the sanitary sewer network, the existing blackwater treatment systems, and the projects adopted by said municipality regarding the reported contamination. Although the sanitary authority, by reason of its competence, issued an administrative act in order to obtain information regarding the situation raised, it has not gone beyond that, declining to exercise its powers and attributions by failing to carry out inspections to ensure that all activity conforms to the legal system and, otherwise, to compel those responsible to comply with its orders. This is because, from the contents of this case file, the Chamber does not infer that it has conducted inspections to locate sanitary problems—which are common knowledge—whether poorly functioning treatment plants or neighbors discharging blackwater into the open air. Therefore, the potential parties responsible for the contamination continue carrying out activities contrary to the legal system that harm the environment and the health of the community's inhabitants. Moreover, it is demonstrated that beyond sanitary order No. ARSC-PPAH of May 31, 2007, no other action by this authority is evident from the file to provide a comprehensive solution to the problem. Consequently, they have failed to fulfill their obligation to safeguard the population's right to health, and therefore, such omission has caused harm to the fundamental rights of all the inhabitants of the place. It is worth reminding the appealed authority, as was done with the Municipality of Cartago, of its obligation—as part of the State—to guarantee, defend, and preserve the right of all to enjoy a healthy and ecologically balanced environment. In its particular case, this is an even clearer duty, since constitutional protection covers and links the ecologically balanced environment with the fundamental right to health, both on a psychological and physical level. The General Health Law No. 5395 establishes, in its Article 1, that the health of the population is a public interest good protected by the State, and in its Article 2, that it is the responsibility of the Executive Branch, through the Ministry of Health, to define the national health policy, and to regulate, plan, and coordinate all public and private activities related to health, as well as to execute those activities within its competence according to law; likewise, it shall have the power to enforce its orders, even with the assistance of public force, in protection of the legal interest it is called to safeguard.

In a similar case, the Chamber, in ruling No. 20006-08983 of eleven hours sixteen minutes of June twenty-third, two thousand six, ordered: “*This Constitutional Court considers that the Ministry of Health has been remiss in fulfilling its obligations to protect the right to health of the amparo applicant and other residents of the aforementioned urbanization, by failing to use its legal powers to definitively resolve the sanitary problem affecting them and which they have formally reported. It has carried out insufficient, untimely, and ineffective activity, which is proven by the fact that the problem persists, as it has taken no concrete action in exercise of the police power granted to it by law to enforce its orders. Thus, the perception remains among the members of this Constitutional Court that the action has been that of a “paper Administration,” which exhausts its activity in mere bureaucratic procedures, simply limiting itself to conducting inspections and issuing recommendations or sanitary orders, without taking any measure to corroborate that they have been fulfilled, and, what is worse, without demonstrating effective actions truly aimed at definitively resolving the exposed sanitary problem, as is required to fulfill the public purpose entrusted to it. This is detrimental to health and the environment and, consequently, in violation of constitutional Article 50, a situation that is intolerable for this Chamber.*” **VI.- CONCLUSION.** – Thus, in accordance with the foregoing considerations, it is observed that both the Ministry of Health and the Municipality of Cartago have not acted with the urgency required to provide a temporary or definitive solution to the reported problem, which is a matter of wide public knowledge. Recently, the Chamber reviewed an amparo action processed under case file No. 07-007076-007, in which facts similar to those analyzed in the present case were alleged. On that occasion, it was claimed that in the community of San Francisco de Aguacaliente de Cartago there exists a blackwater treatment plant that does not function correctly or receive adequate maintenance, thus generating foul odors and untreated water running in the open. This Court ordered, through ruling No. 2007-011796, of twelve hours seventeen minutes of August seventeenth, two thousand seven, the following:

“*….For this reason, the Chamber considers that the powers and responsibilities of both the appealed Municipality and the Health authorities have been and continue to be neglected and insufficient, as they did not adopt, before things reached the current grave situation, the necessary and pertinent measures to guarantee, firstly, not only the operation of that water treatment plant that discharges into the Aguacaliente River in optimal conditions; secondly, that while no other option exists, that plant operates with the minimum necessary conditions of maintenance and operation; that the wastewater from the San Antonio de Padúa urbanization, which was recently piped and channeled to the El Molino stream, receives treatment; that the blackwater and sewage from the sector known as La Pitahaya, which were also piped, are treated so that when they flow into the Agua Caliente River they do not continue contaminating it; as well as ensuring that storm drains are in perfect working condition so they do not become obstructed, so that blackwater, sewage, and stormwater stop running freely and in the open air through all the streets of the city of Cartago. Therefore, these appealed authorities must not continue shielding themselves behind the eternal pretext of a lack of economic resources. For these reasons and on the merits of the foregoing, the Chamber considers that both the Municipality of Cartago and the Ministry of Health bear responsibility for the facts alleged by the appellants and are directly responsible for them.* *IX.- That being the case, the appropriate course is to grant the amparo action, as is hereby ordered, and to order Rolando Alberto Rodríguez Brenes, in his capacity as Municipal Mayor of Cartago, to carry out, at his own expense, the necessary works to provide the Central canton of Cartago, San Francisco district, El Castillo Urbanization (San Antonio Project) with an adequate sewerage and blackwater treatment system within a period of one year. To this end, he must immediately process the corresponding budgetary modification should resources not be available at this time. To comply with the foregoing, this ruling must be notified to whoever holds the position of Manager of the Area of Remunerated Public Services of the Comptroller General of the Republic, who is ordered not to approve any budget or budget modification for the Municipal Mayor's Office of Cartago if the project does not include the corresponding item to execute the works required in the Central canton of the province of Cartago to have an acceptable sewerage and treatment system*.” **VII.-** The Chamber concludes that in the present case we are facing a grave sanitary problem that affects the environment and the health of the inhabitants of the community of the Central Canton of Cartago; and in reiterated jurisprudence the Chamber has stated that it cannot be accepted that human beings be denied the right to a healthy environment, the right to health, due to the inability of the corresponding public authorities to effectively exercise the oversight powers and the solution to problems granted by law. From the documents and the reports rendered under oath contained in this case file, it is evident that the appealed authorities, despite having known of the problem presented here for years, as they themselves state that the system is collapsed, have not carried out the necessary acts to guarantee the health of the inhabitants and the protection of the environment. In conclusion, this Chamber considers that the omissions of both the Ministry of Health and the Municipality of Cartago have endangered the right to health of the amparo applicant, and of the community of Cartago and, in general, of all the inhabitants who frequent that place. These appealed authorities are responsible for the damage to the fundamental rights of the amparo applicants, due to their failure to promptly and effectively safeguard the health of that population and the environment. The persistence of the problem demonstrates that the actions taken in exercise of the power of control or oversight deployed to protect health and the environment by said institutions, within the framework of their powers, have been clearly insufficient, thus incurring liability by omission in the exercise of those powers which, in turn, violates the unnamed or atypical constitutional right of citizens to receive efficient and effective public services. Given the foregoing, and in accordance with the provisions of Article 29 of the Law of Constitutional Jurisdiction, it is appropriate to grant this amparo action” V.- REGARDING THE ACTIONS OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH.- While it is true that the State must respect the rights of individuals, it is equally true that it must ensure the well-being of the community. Public Health and environmental protection are principles safeguarded both at the constitutional level (articles 21, 50, 73, and 89 of the Constitution) and through international regulations. In this case, the General Health Law authorizes the Ministry of Health to take the corresponding sanitary measures and impose sanctions, whereby the Ministry of Health not only has the duty to enforce the General Health Law but also to protect public health, classified as a matter of public interest, since the rights to health and to a healthy and pollution-free environment—at least below the limits tolerable for human beings—are fundamental, inalienable rights, and their violation cannot be legitimately consented to. Now, from the report submitted to this Chamber, the respondent Minister states that there is no complaint nor any record regarding the facts denounced by the petitioner, which have come to her knowledge through this amparo appeal, and therefore the Director of the Rector Health Area of Cartago proceeded to issue the corresponding sanitary order, ordering the Mayor of Cartago that within a period of two months he must inform them about the conditions of the sanitary sewer network, the existing blackwater treatment systems, and the projects adopted by said municipality regarding the denounced contamination. Although the health authority, by reason of its competence, issued an administrative act in order to obtain information regarding the situation raised, it has gone no further, declining in the exercise of its powers and attributions by not carrying out inspections to control that all activity conforms to the legal system and, if not, to compel those responsible to comply with its orders, since from the content of this case file, this Chamber does not infer that it has carried out inspections to locate the sanitary problems—which are of general knowledge—whether treatment plants in poor working order or neighbors who discharge blackwater into the open, so the potential responsible parties for the contamination continue carrying out activities contrary to the legal system and which harm the environment and the health of the community’s inhabitants. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that beyond Sanitary Order No. ARSC-PPAH of May 31, 2007, no other action on the part of this authority to provide a comprehensive solution to the problem is evident from the case file, and therefore, they have omitted to fulfill their obligation to safeguard the right to health of the population, and consequently, such omission has caused injury to the fundamental rights of all the inhabitants of the place. It is appropriate to remind the respondent authority, as was done with the Municipality of Cartago, of its obligation—as part of the State—to guarantee, defend, and preserve the right of all to enjoy a healthy and ecologically balanced environment. In its particular case, this is an even clearer duty, since constitutional protection covers and links the ecologically balanced environment with the fundamental right to health, both on a psychological and physical level, given that General Health Law number 5395 establishes, in its first article, that the health of the population is a matter of public interest safeguarded by the State and, in its second article, that it is the responsibility of the Executive Branch, through the Ministry of Health, to define the national health policy, the regulation, planning, and coordination of all public and private activities relating to health, as well as the execution of those activities that fall within its competence by law; likewise, it shall have powers to enforce its orders, even with the aid of public force, in protection of the legal interest it is called upon to safeguard.

In a similar case, the Chamber, in judgment No. 20006-08983 of eleven hours sixteen minutes of June twenty-third, two thousand six, ordered: “ This Constitutional Court deems that the Ministry of Health has been negligent in fulfilling its obligations in protection of the right to health of the amparo petitioner and other residents of the aforementioned subdivision, by failing to make use of its legal powers to definitively solve the sanitary problem that affects them and that they have formally denounced, having carried out insufficient, untimely, and ineffective activity, which is confirmed by the fact that the problem persists, as no action has been taken in exercise of the police power vested in it by law to enforce its orders. Thus, the members of this Constitutional Court are left with the perception that it has been the actions of a “paper Administration,” which exhausts its activity in mere bureaucratic formalities, simply limiting itself to carrying out inspections and issuing recommendations or sanitary orders, without taking any measure to verify that they have been complied with, and, what is worse, without their effective actions, truly aimed at definitively resolving the exposed sanitary problem, being evident, as is proper to fulfill the public purpose entrusted to it, which results in detriment to health and the environment and, consequently, in violation of Article 50 of the Constitution, a situation that is intolerable for this Chamber.” VI.- CONCLUSION. – In this manner, in accordance with the above considerandos, it is observed that both the Ministry of Health and the Municipality of Cartago have not acted with the urgency required by the case to provide a temporary or definitive solution to the denounced problem, which is of broad public knowledge. Recently, the Chamber heard an amparo appeal processed under case file No. 07-007076-007, in which facts similar to those analyzed in the present case were denounced, and on that occasion it was alleged that in the community of San Francisco de Aguacaliente de Cartago there exists a blackwater treatment plant that does not function correctly nor is given adequate maintenance, for which reason it generates bad odors and untreated water runs in the open, and this Court ordered, by judgment No. 2007-011796, of twelve hours seventeen minutes of August seventeenth, two thousand seven, the following:

“….For this reason, the Chamber deems that the powers and responsibilities held by both the respondent Municipality and the Health authorities have been and continue to be neglected and insufficient, since they did not adopt, before matters reached the serious situation in which they currently find themselves, the necessary and pertinent measures to guarantee, in the first instance, not only the operation under optimal conditions of that water treatment plant that discharges into the Aguacaliente river; secondly, that while no other option exists, that plant operates with the minimum necessary conditions of maintenance and operation; that the residual waters from the San Antonio de Padúa subdivision, which are currently piped and channeled into the El Molino creek, receive treatment; that the blackwater and sewage coming from the sector known as La Pitahaya, which were piped, also be treated so that when they flow into the Agua Caliente river they do not continue contaminating it, and that the storm drains are in perfect working condition, such that they do not become obstructed so that blackwater, sewage, and stormwater cease to run freely and in the open through all the streets of the city of Cartago, and that these respondent authorities therefore do not continue sheltering behind the eternal pretext of a lack of economic resources. For these reasons and on the merits of what has been said, the Chamber considers that both the Municipality of Cartago and the Ministry of Health bear responsibility for the facts denounced by the petitioners and are directly responsible for them.

IX.- As matters stand, the appropriate course is to declare the appeal with merit, as is hereby ordered, and to order Rolando Alberto Rodríguez Brenes, in his capacity as Municipal Mayor of Cartago, to carry out on his own account the necessary works to provide the Central canton of Cartago, San Francisco district, El Castillo Subdivision (Proyecto San Antonio) with an adequate sewerage and blackwater treatment system within a term of one year, for which purpose he must immediately manage the corresponding budget modification should he not have the resources at this time. To comply with the above, this judgment must be notified to whoever holds the post of Manager of the Area of Remunerated Public Services of the Comptroller General of the Republic, who is ordered not to approve any budget or budget modification to the Municipal Mayor’s Office of Cartago, if the project does not include the corresponding line item to execute the works required in the Central canton of the province of Cartago to have an acceptable sewerage and treatment system.” VII.- The Chamber concludes that in the present case we are faced with a serious sanitary problem that affects the environment and the health of the inhabitants of the community of the Central Canton of Cartago; and in reiterated jurisprudence, the Chamber has said that it is unacceptable for human beings to be denied the right to a healthy environment, the right to health, due to the inability of the corresponding public authorities to effectively exercise the oversight powers and the solution to the problems granted by law. From the documents and the reports rendered under oath that appear in the present case file, it is evident that the respondent authorities, despite having been aware of the problem set forth here for years, since they themselves state that the system is collapsed, have not carried out the necessary acts to guarantee the health of the inhabitants and the protection of the environment. In conclusion, this Chamber deems that the omissions of both the Ministry of Health and the Municipality of Cartago have endangered the right to health of the amparo petitioner, and of the community of Cartago, and in general of all the inhabitants who frequent said place. These respondent authorities are responsible for the damage to the fundamental rights of the protected persons, for the omission in promptly and effectively safeguarding the health of that population and the environment. The persistence of the problem demonstrates that the actions in exercise of the power of control or oversight deployed in protection of health and the environment by said institutions, within the framework of their powers, have been clearly insufficient, thus incurring liability for omission in the exercise of those powers which, in turn, injures the unnamed or atypical constitutional right of citizens to be provided with efficient and effective public services. By reason of the foregoing, and in accordance with the provisions of Article 29 of the Law of Constitutional Jurisdiction, it is appropriate to declare the present amparo appeal with merit.

“II.- OBJETO DEL RECURSO.- El recurrente alega que en el Cantón Central de Cartago existe una grave problema sanitario debido a los problemas existentes en los sistemas de tratamiento de aguas negras, las cuales corren a cielo abierto y son vertidas en los ríos, sin que a la fecha las instituciones involucradas hayan realizado acto alguno, lo que considera se lesiona su derecho a la salud y al medio ambiente.

III.- SOBRE EL FONDO.- La Sala tiene por demostrado que existe un problema sanitario y ambiental en la comunidad del Cantón Central de Cartago con respecto al desagüe de las aguas negras debido a que el alcantarillado pluvial y sanitario se encuentra obsoleto y algunas de las plantas de tratamiento existentes no operan adecuadamente, lo que provoca malos olores y contaminación. El artículo 21 de la Constitución Política señala: "La vida humana es inviolable." Es de este principio constitucional de donde innegablemente se desprende el derecho a la salud, al bienestar físico, mental y social, derecho humano que se encuentra indisolublemente ligado al derecho de la salud y a la obligación del Estado de proteger de la vida humana. El Estado está obligado a tomar las medidas necesarias para proteger el medio ambiente y evitar grados de contaminación que pongan en peligro la salud de los administrados. Precisamente, en materia de salud pública, el Estado mediante sus instituciones, debe estar siempre vigilante de las actividades potencialmente lesivas de la salud pública, por lo que debe de ejercer un control constante y efectivo.

En virtud de la participación de diferentes entes administrativos en el presente asunto, se procederá a realizar el análisis de las actuaciones de cada uno de ellos en forma separada.

IV.- EN CUANTO A LA ACTUACIÓN DE LA MUNICIPALIDAD DE CARTAGO.- Para el caso que nos ocupa, el Código Municipal obliga a las Municipalidades de cada cantón velar porque al administrado se le garantice el disfrute real y efectivo del derecho a la salud y a un ambiente sano. De los documentos aportados al expediente así como el informe dado bajo juramento por el Alcalde recurrido, indica que se han realizado varias contrataciones para la operación y mantenimiento de varias plantas de tratamiento de aguas negras ubicadas en urbanizaciones ubicadas en el Distrito San Francisco, por lo que implica que existe una red de alcantarillado sanitario para transportar las aguas negras hacia la planta por lo que no corren a cielo abierto. Y para el caso de afloramiento en los suelos posiblemente sea consecuencia de los sistemas de tratamiento individuales de cada vivienda (tanque septico y drenaje). Además alega en su defensa, que el Departamento de Alcantarillado Sanitario garantiza el funcionamiento eficiente de los sistemas y que se están haciendo las gestiones pertinentes para obtener los recursos económicos para la construcción de un nuevo alcantarillado sanitario y acueducto debido que actualmente la Municipalidad tiene un presupuesto limitado. Sin embargo, su papel no se debe de limitar a realizar contrataciones de plantas de tratamiento sino que su obligación se encuentra en supervisar su funcionamiento y vigilar las actuaciones de los miembros de la comunidad con respeto a la forma que descargan las aguas negras provenientes de sus viviendas o negocios y de esta forma garantizar, defender y preservar el derecho de todos a disfrutar de un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado. El Código Municipal estatuye en su artículo 75 que, de conformidad con el Plan Regulador Municipal, las personas físicas o jurídicas, propietarias o poseedoras, por cualquier título, de bienes inmuebles, deberán cumplir ciertas obligaciones tendientes a velar por el ornato y la tutela del medio ambiente, cuyo incumplimiento puede hacer a las personas que no cumplan al pago de multas, previo debido proceso. A juicio de esta Sala, en la especie la Municipalidad de Cartago ha mostrado incapacidad para hacer cumplir las leyes en la materia y su obligación de garantizar el disfrute de los habitantes de la zona a un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado, con las consecuencias para la salud de esas personas debido a la naturaleza del problema sanitario que les aqueja. Es así como la Municipalidad de Cartago, teniendo pleno conocimiento de la problemática que afecta a los pobladores del cantón, se ha limitado a constatar su existencia y evadir su responsabilidad y sin realizar las acciones oportunas para mitigar el mismo o controlarlo. Observa la Sala que pese a las quejas de los vecinos y la constatación del problema sanitario que pone en riesgo la salud humana y el medio ambiente, la Municipalidad recurrida no ha tomado acción alguna para solucionar el problema, circunscribiéndose a indicar que, en caso del afloramiento de aguas negras se deba posiblemente a problemas individuales y que está en proceso de buscar financiamiento debido que no tiene recursos para la reconstrucción del sistema de desagües sanitarios. Es así como se observa que la Municipalidad no ha ni siquiera intentado verificar si todos los propietarios de inmuebles en esos residenciales o en general de los habitantes del sector de marras cuentan con tanque séptico y drenajes, o si lanzan al río aguas contaminadas o si las plantas de tratamiento funcionan correctamente. En consecuencia, la Municipalidad de Cartago no ha tomado acción alguna para determinar existencia del problema y su eventual incidencia en el inconveniente sanitario que con insistencia revelan los vecinos del lugar. En tal virtud, se impone la estimatoria de este recurso contra la Municipalidad de Cartago por las violación constitucional a los artículos 50 y 21 de la Constitución Política en perjuicio del recurrente y demás vecinos de la zona del cantón central de Cartago.

V.- EN CUANTO A LAS ACTUACIONES DEL MINISTERIO DE SALUD.- Si bien es cierto, el Estado debe respetar el derecho de los individuos, también lo es que debe velar por el bienestar de la comunidad. La Salud Pública y la protección del medio ambiente son principios tutelados tanto a nivel constitucional (artículos 21, 50, 73 y 89 de la Carta Magna), como a través de la normativa internacional. En este caso, la Ley General de Salud, autoriza al Ministerio de Salud para tomar las medidas sanitarias correspondientes e imponer las sanciones, con lo cual el Ministerio de Salud no solo tiene el deber de hacer cumplir la Ley General de Salud sino el de proteger la salud pública calificada como bien de interés público, pues los derechos a la salud y a un ambiente sano y libre de contaminación -al menos por debajo de los límites tolerables para el ser humano- son derechos fundamentales irrenunciables y en cuya violación no se puede legítimamente consentir. Ahora bien, del informe presentado a esta Sala, la Ministra recurrida manifiesta que no existe ninguna queja ni antecedente alguno con respecto a los hechos denunciados por el recurrente, los cuales son de su conocimiento por el presente recurso de amparo, por lo que el Director del Area Rectora de Salud de Cartago procedió a girar la orden sanitaria correspondiente ordenando al Alcalde de Cartago que en el plazo de dos meses debe informarles sobre las condiciones de la red de alcantarillado sanitario, de los sistemas existentes de tratamiento de aguas negras y los proyectos adoptados por dicho municipio con respecto a la contaminación denunciada. Si bien, la autoridad sanitaria en razón de su competencia dictó un acto administrativo con el fin de obtener información con respeto a la situación planteada, de ahí no ha pasado, declinando en el ejercicio de sus competencias y atribuciones al no realizar las inspecciones para controlar que toda actividad se ajuste al ordenamiento jurídico y caso contrario constreñir, a quienes corresponda, para hacer cumplir sus órdenes por cuanto del contenido de este expediente, la Sala no desprende que haya efectuado inspecciones para localizar los problemas sanitarios –que son de conocimiento general-, ya sea de plantas de tratamiento en mal funcionamiento o vecinos que desagüen aguas negras a cielo abierto, por lo que los posibles responsables de la contaminación continúan realizando actividades contrarias al ordenamiento jurídico y que lesiona el medio amiente y la salud de los habitantes de la comunidad, además queda demostrado que más allá de las orden sanitaria No. sanitaria No. ARSC-PPAH del 31 de mayo del 2007 no se desprende del expediente ninguna otra actuación de parte de esta autoridad para dar solución integral al problema y por ende, han omitido cumplir con su obligación de velar por el derecho a la salud de la población y por ende, tal omisión ha ocasionado lesiones a los derechos fundamentales de los todos los habitantes del lugar. Conviene recordar a la autoridad recurrida, al igual que se hizo con la Municipalidad de Cartago, su obligación –como parte del Estado- de garantizar, defender y preservar el derecho de todos a disfrutar de un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado. En su caso particular se trata de un deber aún más claro, pues la protección constitucional cubre y vincula el ambiente ecológicamente equilibrado con el derecho fundamental a la salud, tanto en el plano psíquico como en el físico, siendo que la Ley General de Salud número 5395 establece, en su artículo primero, que la salud de la población es un bien de interés público tutelado por el Estado y, en su artículo segundo, que corresponde al Poder Ejecutivo, por medio del Ministerio de Salud, la definición de la política nacional de salud, la normación, planificación y coordinación de todas las actividades públicas y privadas relativas a salud, así como la ejecución de aquellas actividades que le competen conforme a la ley; de igual forma, que tendrá potestades para hacer cumplir sus órdenes incluso con ayuda de la fuerza pública en protección del bien jurídico que está llamado a tutelar.

En un caso similar la Sala en sentencia No. 20006-08983 de las once horas dieciséis minutos del veintitrés de junio de 2006 dispuso: “ Estima este Tribunal Constitucional que el Ministerio de Salud ha sido omiso en el cumplimiento de sus obligaciones en tutela del derecho a la salud del amparado y demás vecinos de la urbanización de marras, al no hacer uso de sus potestades legales con el fin de solucionar, definitivamente, el problema sanitario que les afecta y que han denunciado formalmente, pues ha realizado una actividad insuficiente, inoportuna e ineficaz que se comprueba con el hecho de que el problema subsiste, al no haber concretado ninguna acción en ejercicio del poder de policía que le asiste por ley para hacer cumplir sus órdenes. Queda así en los miembros de este Tribunal Constitucional la percepción de que ha sido la actuación de una “Administración de papel”, que agota su actividad en meros trámites burocráticos, simplemente limitándose a realizar inspecciones y girar recomendaciones u órdenes sanitarias, sin que se tome medida alguna para corroborar que se hayan cumplido y, lo que es peor, sin que se evidencien de su parte acciones eficaces, verdaderamente encaminadas a resolver en definitiva la problemática sanitaria expuesta, como corresponde para cumplir el fin público que se le ha encomendado, lo que redunda en detrimento de la salud y el medio ambiente y, por consiguiente, en violación del artículo 50 constitucional, situación que resulta intolerable para esta Sala”.

VI.- CONCLUSIÓN. – De esta forma, de conformidad a lo expuesto en los considerandos anteriores, se observa que tanto el Ministerio de Salud como la Municipalidad de Cartago no han actuado con la urgencia del caso para dar la solución temporal o definitiva al problema denunciado y que es de amplio conocimiento público. Recientemente, la Sala conoció un recurso de amparo tramitado bajo el expediente No. 07-007076-007, en el cual se denunció hechos similares a los analizados en el presente caso, y en esa oportunidad se alegó que en la comunidad de San Francisco de Aguacaliente de Cartago existe una planta de tratamiento de aguas negras que no funciona correctamente ni se le da el mantenimiento adecuado, por lo que genera malos olores y el agua sin tratar discurre a cielo abierto y este Tribunal dispuso por sentencia No. 2007-011796, de las doce horas diecisiete minutos del diecisiete de agosto de dos mil siete, lo siguiente:

“ ….Por tal razón, estima la Sala que las competencias y responsabilidades que tienen tanto la Municipalidad recurrida como las autoridades de Salud ha sido y continúan siendo desatendidas e insuficientes pues no adoptaron, antes de que las cosas llegaran a la situación tan grave, en la cual se encuentran en la actualidad, las medidas necesarias y pertinentes para garantizar, en primera instancia, no sólo la operación en óptimas condiciones de esa planta de tratamiento de aguas que descargan en el río Aguacaliente; en segundo lugar, que mientras no exista otra opción, esa planta opere con las condiciones mínimas necesarias de mantenimiento y de funcionamiento; que las aguas residuales de la urbanización San Antonio de Padúa, que en la actualidad fueron entubadas y conducidas a la quebrada El Molino, reciban tratamiento; que las aguas negras y servidas provenientes del sector conocido como La Pitahaya y que fueron entubadas, también sean tratadas para que al momento de discurrir en el río Agua Caliente no lo continúen contaminando así como que los desagües pluviales se encuentren en perfectas condiciones de funcionamiento, de manera tal que no se obstruyan a fin de que las aguas negras, servidas y pluviales, dejen de discurrir libremente y a cielo abierto por todas las calles de la ciudad de Cartago y no continúen, por lo tanto, estas autoridades recurridas, escudándose en el eterno pretexto de la falta de recursos económicos. Por tales razones y en mérito de lo dicho, considera la Sala que tanto la Municipalidad de Cartago así como el Ministerio de Salud tienen responsabilidad en los hechos denunciados por los recurrentes y son directamente responsables de ellos.

IX.- Así las cosas, lo procedente es declarar con lugar el recurso, como en efecto se dispone y ordenar a Rolando Alberto Rodríguez Brenes, en su condición de Alcalde Municipal de Cartago, que por cuenta propia realice las obras necesarias para dotar al cantón Central de Cartago, distrito San Francisco, Urbanización El Castillo (Proyecto San Antonio) de un sistema adecuado de alcantarillado y tratamiento de aguas negras en el plazo de un año, para lo cual deberá gestionar en forma inmediata la correspondiente modificación presupuestaria en caso de no contar con los recursos en este momento. Para cumplir con lo anterior, debe notificarse esta sentencia a quien ocupe el puesto de Gerente del Área de Servicios Públicos Remunerados de la Contraloría General de la República, a quien se le ordena no aprobar ningún presupuesto o modificación de presupuesto a la Alcaldía Municipal de Cartago, si en el proyecto no va incluido el rubro correspondiente para ejecutar las obras requeridas en el cantón Central de la provincia de Cartago para contar con un sistema de alcantarillado y tratamiento de aguas aceptable”.

VII.- La Sala concluye que en el presente caso nos encontramos ante un problema sanitario grave que afecta al medio ambiente y la salud de los habitantes de la comunidad de Cantón Central de Cartago; y en reiterada jurisprudencia la Sala ha dicho que no se puede aceptar que a los seres humanos se les niegue el derecho a un ambiente sano, el derecho a la salud, debido a la incapacidad de las autoridades públicas correspondientes para ejercer efectivamente las potestades de vigilancia y la solución a los problemas otorgadas por ley. De los documentos y los informes rendidos bajo juramento que constan en el presente expediente, se desprende que las autoridades recurridas, a pesar que desde hace años tienen conocimiento del problema aquí expuesto pues ellos mismos manifiestan que el sistema se encuentra colapsado, no han realizado los actos necesarios para garantizar la salud de los habitantes y la protección al medio ambiente. En conclusión, estima esta Sala que las omisiones tanto del Ministerio de Salud como de la Municipalidad de Cartago, han puesto en peligro el derecho a la salud del amparado, y de la comunidad de Cartago y en general de todos los habitantes que frecuentan dicho lugar. Estas autoridades recurridas son responsables del daño a los derechos fundamentales de las personas amparadas, por la omisión en velar pronta y eficazmente por la salud de esa población, y al medio ambiente. La persistencia del problema demuestra que las acciones en ejercicio de la potestad de control o vigilancia desplegadas en tutela de la salud y del medio ambiente por parte dichas instituciones, dentro del marco de sus competencias, han sido claramente insuficientes, incurriendo así en responsabilidad por omisión en el ejercicio de esas potestades que, a su vez, lesiona el derecho constitucional innominado o atípico de los administrados a que les presten servicios públicos eficientes y eficaces. En razón de lo anterior, y de conformidad con lo establecido en el artículo 29 de la Ley de la Jurisdicción Constitucional, procede declarar con lugar el presente recurso de amparo”