Action against quarry owner

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has dismissed an application for a quarry in Qala to restart operations after an enforcement notice was issued at the end of November.

Mepa said its enforcement section had been following the situation in Ghar d-Dar for the past months and in the next few days criminal proceedings will be initiated against the owner of the quarry over damage allegedly caused to the environment.

The enforcement notice was issued on November 29, 2006, against Raymond Gatt on behalf of Salvu Mintoff and Sons Ltd as well as against the owner of the land in question, Abbazija San Antonio degli Navarri, who were notified on December 1, 2006.

Mepa said the quarry's outer limits were not according to the plans, a number of conditions had been breached and the surrounding land was being used to store building debris.